Demonstrators across Britain’s cities claimed thousands on Saturday against the government’s illegal immigration bill.
Protesters carried signs and banners, some reading “No human being is illegal”, as they marched down Downing Street in central London.
Organizers Stand Up to Racism and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) also staged protests in Glasgow and Cardiff against racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, fascism and the far right.
The legislation, introduced by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, means that refugees arriving in the UK through unauthorized means, such as crossing the Channel by boat, will have their asylum claims deemed inadmissible.
Braverman is on a trip to Rwanda this weekend, to which the Guardian did not receive an invitation, to reaffirm her commitment to the government’s policy of deporting migrants to the African state.
Maria Frazier, 75, said she was protesting against the government because she agreed with Gary Lineker’s comments comparing the language used to promote his immigration policy to that used in 1930s Germany.
The retired speech and language therapist from south London told PA media: “We think there should be an indefinite general strike and the Tories should be ousted by class action. They have some very violent programs that they are trying to bring in – they are trying to ban strikes, they are trying to deport immigrants. eviction – it’s not British.
“Lineker was right when he said there are shades of German [Third] Rick on the methods they are using.
“People walk out because they’re so angry about the way the economy is going and the deprivation that’s happening while the rich are making themselves rich.”
The coach drew on social media masked protesters depicting Lineker’s face as he returned to the TV screen to present coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley.
The broadcaster was sacked last weekend for tweets criticizing the language used by ministers when discussing the government’s asylum policy.
Planning officer Mark Daly, 65, who traveled from Horsham, West Sussex, said he wanted to stand up against the Government’s “racist” bill.
“The government is only trying to make these people illegal. We cannot classify people as illegal, it is a racist government’s racial policy,” he said.
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Lizzie Cushen, 39, said she joined the anti-racism demonstration in London with her husband and sons, four and six, because she was “appalled” by the scandal involving the disappearance of refugee children from Home Office hotels.
The architect, from Leyton, east London, said: “The Illegal Immigration Bill is dehumanizing all asylum seekers. It’s important to protest because it’s the only way to be seen and heard at the moment.”
Her sons held up signs calling for “safe passage for all children like me.”
Cushen’s friend Cassie Harrison, a 42-year-old charity worker, added: “It’s just outrageous.
“We see many government ministers saying they speak for the great British people, and we want to be here to make sure they don’t speak for us.”
