‘Keep refugees out of York’ march planned for city centre on Saturday
Residents in York are planning to march against refugees being resettled in the city this weekend.
More than 3,200 people have joined the Facebook group #York Says No to Refugees which is planning to stage the demonstration on Saturday afternoon (November 28).
A post by administrator Jon Reynolds, 51, from York, says that they want those participating to remember to be “peaceful” and to not lower themselves to the “do gooders, tree huggers and UAF standards”.
It adds: “We want to have our say.”
The group’s description says:
YorkMix understands that the protest will begin at 1pm on Saturday, starting at the Railway Workers Memorial on Station Rise.
Attempts to contact those involved in organising have so far gone unanswered.
Counter demonstration
Meanwhile, a counter-demonstration organised by the York People’s Assembly will also take place at the same time and location.
Organiser Graham Martin told us:
Whilst we can’t afford to let people think that York is a hostile city for refugees and ethnic minorities, everyone recognises the imperative to keep things peaceful.
By turning out in numbers at the time and location of this anti-refugee protest, we want to send a clear message to visitors and residents alike that we are many, and that they don’t speak for our city.
As part of the Government’s plan to accept 20,000 Syrian refugees from refugee camps, City of York Council announced that 60 people would be resettled in the local area.
Graham said he was hopeful for a peaceful demonstration. “Past events of this kind in York have been peaceful, and whilst debate has been heated, both sides have been able to converse.”
York was designated a City of Sanctuary in 2012, becoming one of only 30 cities in the UK to be home to vulnerable people.
There is also a candlelit vigil planned on Saturday at 4.30pm to ‘remember all the victims of war, terror attacks and drownings’. Exhibition Square from 4.30pm – more details on the Facebook page
There were 3.200 not 30 people demonstrating against refugees coming to York.
They are not refugees, they are illegal immigrants who are not legally permitted to be in the UK. We do not have the resources to take refugees/immigrants in York, there is no employment for them, no places in our schools for their children and no accommodation.
We need to sort out our own people first before we even contemplate bringing anyone else into the country. There is nothing being done for the homeless and unemployed in York, yet the refugees/immigrants get everything how fair is that.
The UK should do what other countries have done and close it’s border to stop refugees/immigrants getting in to our country.
3200? That’s a lie, I was there and there were about 30, compared to those on the welcoming side having around 150 people. They are refugees, and considering the council has allotted spaces for them in York they are not illegal and are legally permitted to be here. Do you even know what closing borders means? Closing a border completely means no one can get in or out, like North Korea. What a silly suggestion, our borders are already very well manned.
We should welcome any number of refugees and kick out these moronic, racist arseholes instead.
They didn’t even have any banners either, their main mode of defence seemed to be making obscene (e.g. masturbatory) gestures.
I just heard there were barley 30 people demonstrating against York welcoming refugees and they were so disorganised they didn’t even have any chants. I wish I’d been there to point and laugh. Great comment from Baz Buchanan btw.
Over 3000 in the FB group, yet they could hardly muster enough people to outnumber the police. What a pathetic ensemble of inebriated halfwits they were, even the insults they hurled at the counter demo lacked any creativity.
Counter demonstration outnumbered them by at least 10 to 1. Let’s hope this is the end of any far right mobilisation (if you can even call it that) in York.
Refugees welcome, fascists go home.
I would think the refugees’ standard of English would put Garry to shame.
I am really shocked to read about a demonstration to protest at refugees being re-homed in York. I accept we are all entitled to our opinions but then aren’t all humans entitled to a life without fear, war and torture?
I am ashamed of all those who take part in this march. They do not speak for me or many of the compassionate, caring and educated members of the York community. Shame on them – I am disgusted.
Here here! Couldn’t agree with this comment more. If the shoe was on the other foot, wouldn’t we want to be treated to with compassion, kindness and respect. We should be opening our arms to these people who have suffered enough.
Punctuation, idiots..
Lets keep it peacefull on all sides, there are questions that need to be answered, , there arnt any(many) with racist(define that as you will) tensancies, just people concerned about their homes and familys. Concerned about those imigrants/refugees that are likely to be housed and cared for instead of locals who have been waiting, in some cases for years, Conbcerned about the POSIBILITY AND , IN ALL FAIRNESS , probability of a (albeit probable) number of extremists or extremist sympathisers infiltrating the genuine refugees, , In truthy, no one knows, every one is fearfull of the posibilitys, nobody is playing the race card, people are beginning to feel, look after our own first , define “our own” as you will, but there is a fear, there is a need for answers and assurances, it aint rocket science really
They seem to be having to physically “add” people to the group too. I hate being added to shit I don’t like. Shows their numbers and the turnout will be low. Activists, like the pro-refugee demonstrators, are active. Those who are generally apathetic, are pathetic and this “group” will show it falls to the latter category.