Hundreds of pro-refugee activists descended on Folkestone yesterday to stage a ‘welcome event for asylum seekers’ housed in Napier Barracks.
The event was organised by Kent Refugee Action Network, along with a number of groups including Channel Rescue and Folkestone Against Racism.
Activists spoke to Kent Live who provided glowing coverage of the day:
Jeremy Hagues, 60, told us that he had been inspired to come and show his support after meeting the asylum seekers in town.
He said: “I’m here because I’ve met some of these guys already down in Folkestone and engaged with them and made them feel welcome.
“There are very few people in this country who understand why people are coming to this country.
They’re not risking their lives to come here and claim meagre sums of money, they’re here to improve their lives.
“They’re fleeing from countries and regimes that endanger their lives and the lives of their children.
“England is a country built upon migration, we’ve always adapted and we’ve always benefited from it.”
Further down the path past the blazing speakers which are belting out ‘We are Family’, Becca Guinness, 35, and Lizzie Bailey, 24, explain that they have come down as it’s the “kind thing to do”.
Lizzie said: “I think there’s too much hostility to refugees.
“If I turned up in a foreign country, not knowing where my feet were and feeling a bit lost, I would like to feel welcomed.
“I think showing our love and support for these people is really important.”
Becca added: “We’re all human at the end of the day.
An absolute embarrassment. pic.twitter.com/WBl3VbUaQ6
— Steve Laws (@SteveLaws_) October 17, 2020
“If for example we were fleeing from our own country, it would be nice if we were welcomed in somewhere else.
“I think there might be misconception with all the far rights groups hanging around here that we all might be like that, so it’s important to show we care.”
Today’s event is the first large scale show of support to happen at the barracks since the asylum seekers were moved in at the end of September.
Since that time, far right activists have taken to prowling outside the barracks, filming and intimidating the camp mates.
Edward Traup, 65, said that this has helped to create a feeling of unjustified resentment towards the innocent people in the barracks.
He said: “I’m here because I’m clearly a white British man but one who believes this country is built on immigration and diversity.
“I think it’s terrible what we are doing to demonise a small number of desperate people and pretend that they’re the cause of our problems.
“The problems faced by this country are from inside it, they’re not created by the desperate people fleeing here.”
‘This is the real community’
The event, on the whole, passed peacefully and ends shortly after 2pm with the crowds dispersing.
According to Bridget Chapman, one of Kent Refugee Action Network’s coordinators, the real Folkestone showed itself today.
She said: “I was absolutely delighted with how it turned out. For me it showed what I knew to be the case in that there is a lot of support locally for these people and refugees generally.
“We don’t get to hear their voices a lot of the time, instead we hear the myth from minority voices saying that these people are not welcome here and it’s simply not true.
“The people in the barracks were clearly pleased we were there, every time they leave they get harassed. I’m ashamed that that’s the impression they get of the local community who don’t represent it.
“Today is what the local community looks like to me.”
Unity News Network (UNN) Staff Writer | To find out more details about our staff, please head to the About Us section on our website.
