The Green Party will launch a campaign to resettle more child refugees in the UK and keep refugee families together, to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump tomorrow.
Green Party leaders and members are taking part in Bridges Not Walls, a nationwide action where banners will be dropped from iconic bridges across the UK [1]. Their messages will reject the rise of the far right, express solidarity with marginalised groups and stand up to the politics of hate.
The Greens are organising a banner drop from Bristol Bridge at 12.30pm on January 20. Co-leader Jonathan Bartley and deputy leader Amelia Womack will be at the event to launch the party’s refugees campaign, Citizens of the World.
The campaign aims to support refugees in the UK, resettle more child refugees and a petition will be launched to call on home secretary Amber Rudd to widen the family reunification rules and keep refugee families together.
Other Green Party banner drops are planned in Lincoln, Brecon Beacons, Aberystwyth, West Sussex, and Guildford.
Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:
“We are all citizens of the world and migration is a part of 21st century life. It’s not in anyone's long term interests to keep building up barriers and shutting out refugees who desperately need our help. That’s why Bridges Not Walls is so important and I look forward to being part of this display of unity during these turbulent times. As Trump takes power, we will not let the forces of fear and hate he represents stop us from helping some of the most vulnerable in our society. We’re proud to be taking a stand against xenophobia, the rise of the far right and the politics of hate and division, both in the US and here in the UK.”
Cleo Lake, Green councillor in Bristol, said:
"In all cultures and societies unity is a virtue vital for progress. For example, Ghanaians have a symbol ‘unity in diversity’. Ghana, like Britain, has diversity in many areas of life. These areas include ethnicity, religion and politics. But should they constitute sources of division? Not at all. They should rather provide us with the platform to bring our different ideas and resources together and, in unison, build a better future. We need to maintain unity in our diversity. We must not lose our humanity.”
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