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LONDON EDITION October 2015
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THE MACCABEES: A DECADE AND WE’RE STILL A BIT HIT AND HOPE.............. PAGE 15
Tens of thousands take to the streets to show their support for refugees
WELCOME HOME People power: Protesters wave placards in Parliament Square PICTURES: STEVE EASON/FLICKR/FACEBOOK
CLEO POLLARD
Abdulaziz Almashi
TENS of thousands of protesters marched through central London to show their support for refugees in the biggest demonstration of its kind. The Solidarity With Refugees rally began at Park Lane and proceeded to Downing Street, with speeches in Parliament Square from public
figures, including newly elected Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. It attracted almost 100,000 supporters – twice the original estimate – with support from pressure groups including Amnesty International and Stand Up To Racism. QMUL student Abdulaziz Almashi, one of the organisers, said the aim was to raise awareness of the crisis and put
pressure on the government, which has pledged to take in 20,000 refugees. He told TUP: ‘I was totally shocked by the tremendous response.’ But he added: ‘The campaign has been successful so far but it’s not over yet. We’ll keep up the pressure until David Cameron changes his policy.’ Eugene McCormick, a student at King’s College London, travelled from
his home town of Belfast for the demo. ‘It’s the greatest show of solidarity,’ he said. ‘The more people, the louder the message.’ King’s graduate Josh Stupple added: ‘It was not an angry march, although there was some pretty aggressive booing as we passed Downing Street. ‘It was a march of empathy and human decency.’
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