Anti-racism activists held a vigil outside East Thanet Labour Party office yesterday (September 6) to mark the deaths of at least 12 people seeking asylum in the sinking of a boat off the coast of France.
At the vigil, called by Kent Anti-Racism Network (KARN) and Kent Stand Up To Racism, there were calls for East Thanet MP Polly Billington and the government to “stop the small boat racist rhetoric” and “implement safe passage now to stop the preventable loss of life for those attempting to seek asylum.”
The sinking, which happened on Tuesday 3 September, included six children and a pregnant woman. Several others were in a serious condition after the boat—which had more than 60 people on board—broke up.
The vigil was timed to coincide with a similar demonstration outside Downing Street and others across the country.
Hilary Chuter of KARN said: “The French authorities must be held accountable for these continuing unnecessary deaths. But so too must Keir Starmer, home secretary Yvette Cooper and the British state.”
Ian Venables from Karn said: “Polly Billington was elected on a manifesto of change. KARN agrees, we demand change — change to the policies that ensure the continuation of drownings on our shores. We insist that she raises the issue of safer routes for asylum seekers in the House of Commons as a matter of urgency.
“If her government want to stop the criminal gangs, they should send them this message — We’ll process them in Northern France. Your days of people smuggling will end that way.”
The Home Secretary has announced new action against the criminal gangs who organise the small boat crossings, a programme to stop employers profiting from hiring workers with no legal right to work in the UK and action to ensure the rules are enforced.
Ms Chuter said: “There is no humanity in these statements, no understanding of what drives people to undertake such dangerous crossings. Desperate people who have fled poverty, oppression, state hostility and climate chaos will keep coming.
“Either there has to be safe passage and a welcome to all refugees—or more corpses will be pulled from the waves or wash onto the beaches. Such deaths are so frequent and so inevitable that the continuation of the current border regime is an acceptance of mass slaughter.”
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “Exploiting vulnerable people is at the heart of the business model of these despicable criminal smuggling gangs. Women and children were packed into an unsafe boat which literally collapsed in the water this week. At least 12 people were killed as part of this evil trade. We will not rest until these networks have been dismantled and brought to justice.
“The last two months has seen encouraging progress, with significant seizures of boats and equipment in Europe. But there is work to do, and the Border Security Command will bring all the relevant bodies together to investigate, arrest and prosecute these networks, as well as deepen our ties with key international partners.
“At the same time, we are swiftly removing those with no right to be in the UK, which will ensure we have a fair, firm and functioning asylum system where the rules are respected and enforced.”
Last week, the Home Secretary announced an additional 100 specialist investigators to disrupt people smuggling globally.
The National Crime Agency currently has around 70 investigations targeting the highest harm criminal networks involved in people smuggling and trafficking.