Dedicated volunteers continue to stand in solidarity with our friends in Leeds

Today, we are so proud of our volunteers. Our friends in Leeds needed solidarity and they were there straight away – with enough home baked brownies for everyone too. In a repugnant echo of last year, far right activists visited one of the hotels yesterday in an attempt to stoke fear and hate. This only works if we let it. Our volunteers and the people in the hotel didn’t.

Today the volunteers organised a picnic in the sun and spent time chatting to people. We wanted to take their minds off yesterday, but in fact it was hardly mentioned. Thankfully, the asylum seekers were fine. One man said, ‘we have faced these type of people in our previous homelands. Let’s be human, and support each other to have more peace in this short life’. It is our privilege to work with them.

Credit also to the hotel security who saw off the bullies professionally, giving them nothing interesting to film. Communities in the UK can do so much better than fear and hate.

Asylum seekers have fled their home countries out of fear for their lives and those of their families, and experienced unimaginable difficulties on the way here. It is extremely disturbing and upsetting that they should be subjected to this in the UK. We will continue to be their allies against racism and hostility. Humanity and kindness will always win.

#RefugeesWelcome #StandWithRefugees #WeAreAllHuman

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