All at Asylum Welcome are horrified by the terrible events of last week and the weekend. We extend our unwavering solidarity to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, Muslims and communities of colour during this difficult time.
As some of you might know, we have received news of a specific far-right threat to protest outside our building on Wednesday night. We are in touch with the police and are taking precautions. While there may be some disruption this week, we will continue to run services from our office and in the community as far as we safely can.
Asylum Welcome encourages people to stay safe and to report any far-right activity to the authorities. To be clear, we are not involved in or encouraging any counter-protest around our office on Wednesday, as we do not want people to put themselves at risk to defend empty buildings. We are grateful for and moved by your expressions of solidarity, and we will continue our work, while taking precautions to protect our clients, volunteers and staff.
We are proud of our diverse and strong Oxfordshire community. You can help us best by showing your solidarity with refugees in daily life and by challenging misinformation online and in person. Many of the rumours that have been spread are simply false. The men, women and children living in hotels are not illegal; they have the legal right to seek asylum. They are banned from working and excluded from mainstream benefits, relying on just £8.86 a week. They are living in extremely basic accommodation, often sharing a room with a stranger and eating substandard food. They have endured great trauma and seek only to rebuild their lives in peace. Many are volunteering in our communities, in our sports clubs, our choirs and our places of worship. They are our friends and our neighbours.
We must stand united against racist hate.
