'Refugees Are Welcome Here': London Crowd Protests Anti-Migrant Bill Outside Parliament

Storyful

Protesters gathered in London’s Parliament Square on Monday evening, March 13, to urge lawmakers not to vote for the proposed Illegal Migration Bill.

The bill, which was championed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman of the Conservative Party, would allow the UK government to deport “persons who have entered or arrived in breach of immigration control.”

The bill has received widespread criticism, including from Tory MPs. Hours before the vote, Tory MP and former UK energy minister Chris Skidmore tweeted that he would not be voting for the bill.

“I am not prepared to break international law or the human rights conventions that the UK has had a proud history of playing a leading role in establishing,” Skidmore wrote.

Video filmed by Erminia Colucci shows protesters chanting “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” in Parliament Square as the bill was being read in the House of Commons.

“The speakers told us that they can hear us in the Parliament so we are shouting even louder to #StopTheBill and do your fair share of taking care of those in utmost need – #refugees – which you have never done actually dear UK!” Colucci tweeted. Credit: Erminia Colucci via Storyful

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