London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

Hundreds gather in Manchester to oppose Rwanda deportation plan

Hundreds gather in Manchester to oppose Rwanda deportation plan

Protesters march in city centre as anger grows over Priti Patel’s refugee scheme

Hundreds of Mancunians – many of them from charities, campaign groups and religious organisations – gathered in the city’s St Peter’s Square on Sunday to protest against the government’s plan to deport refugees to Rwanda.

With just two days to go before the first refugees are due to board flights to the central African country, the protest was one of a number taking place across the UK, and was happening amid further legal challenges after the high court ruled last week that the flights can go ahead.

Speakers included Maddy Summerfield of Care4Calais, who described the deportation scheme as “obscene” and told the crowd: “There are 6,500 people in Manchester’s asylum system and we’re here yet again to call for justice for them.”

Other speakers included Martin Empson of the Campaign Against Climate Change, who said: “Many in the global south are facing the consequences of the climate disaster on a daily basis. Simultaneously, they’re met with racism and state oppression at every turn. As a nation, we have to do something.”

He added: “Fighting for a sustainable future means fighting for one that is free from oppression.”

Dr Rhetta Moran, from human rights group Rapar, called for people to “stand shoulder to shoulder” and “keep finding ways to build solidarity”. Her comment that “this can’t carry on in our name” was met with rapturous cheers.

Moran and other speakers referred to Saturday’s events in Peckham, south London, where protesters blocked a van transporting a man who had been arrested for immigration offences.

Karen Reissmann of Unison echoed comments attributed to Prince Charles regarding the Rwanda plan when she said: “From London to Manchester and much further afield, people are appalled by what is happening.”

Speakers voice their opposition to the government’s refugee plan before the march in Manchester.


The Rev Laurie Windle of the Church of England said she had come along to speak for her congregation and added: “Many are appalled by what they see as an ‘ungodly’ asylum system. This piece of legislation goes against the essence of God.”

Meanwhile, members of Manchester’s Syrian community spoke of their own experiences, and said their hearts were “broken by this new and racist policy”.

Other groups present included Stand Up to Racism, Amnesty UK, Safety4Sisters, the People’s Assembly, and the Status Now network plus voices from the Manchester’s Iranian, Iraqi and west African communities.

As they prepared to begin the march, chants rang out of “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.”

Just before they left the square, artist Will Belshah took the mic and told the story of his grandfather arriving in Britain from Baghdad, adding that the deportation plan had left him “too enraged to moderate his language or calm down”.

He concluded: “Anger and civil disobedience are sometimes the only way to change things.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×