“We condemn, in the strongest terms, the racist, anti-migrant, Islamophobic, and far-right violence and aggression we have witnessed in the past week. It is designed to threaten and intimidate members of our communities.
We stand in solidarity with migrants to this country, including those who have fled dangerous places to seek safety here, only to be met with violence. We stand in solidarity with those targeted based on their appearance. We stand in solidarity with all those who are supporting targeted communities, through the provision of legal and other services.
We call on the Government to actively protect and uphold all of our human rights.
The riots have deliberately targeted hotels housing people seeking asylum, who fear persecution, who have often experienced torture and other serious harm in the past, and who should be treated with dignity, care, and respect. By failing to place individuals in community-based accommodation, these individuals have been made easy targets. The Government must now urgently review its in-person reporting requirements and allow people seeking protection to remain in places where they feel safe and to leave places they no longer consider to be safe, without any repercussions.
The Government should resolutely stand against the divisive rhetoric and false narrative underpinning this violence. People have the right to seek asylum here.
We, independent legal professionals, will continue to uphold the rule of law, including access to justice for all.
As immigration law practitioners, we call on the Government to create conditions in which we are able to perform our professional duties, including by representing and upholding the human rights of migrants and those targeted based on their appearance, without fear for our safety. Where our security is threatened as a result of carrying out our essential and proper function in a democracy, the Government and law enforcement agencies should investigate and monitor threats to our safety.
We urge Sir Keir Starmer’s Government to take urgent steps to bring an end to the violence and to foster a society which welcomes and cares for our communities and all those in need of protection.
We call on the Government to stand with us.”
Hazar El-Chamaa
Chair of Trustees