Annual United Families and Friends march in London

This year's annual families and friends march in London came on the back of the killing of Chris Kaba in Streatham and was attended by 100s.

The procession started with speeches and a rally of around 500 people in Trafalgar Square.

The march set off from Trafalgar Square at around 13.30pm and grew as it progressed down Whitehall and commenced with further speeches at 10 Downing Street.

Protesters progressing to Downing Street

There were a number of campaigns in attendance commemorating those killed in custody and in mental health institutions.

The United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC) was set up in 1997 by families who had lost loved ones at the hands of the state to challenge the injustice in the system.

It has now grown as a group that supports all families of the victims of custodial deaths at the hands of police officers, prison officers or in medical units.

They believe:

• The failure of State officials to ensure the basic right to life is made worse by the failure of the State to prosecute those responsible for custody deaths.
• That failure to prosecute those responsible for deaths in custody sends the message that the State can act with impunity.

You can support the family campaigns by pledging to the National Memorial Family Fund.

The annual procession has been taking place since 1999.

Peter Tatchell released after arrest at LGBT+ protest in Qatar

Peter Tatchell has just been released 25 October after being arrested the same day due to his staging the first ever LGBT+ protest in any gulf state.

Click here for a story on the arrest and release of Peter Tatchell today in Qatar.

Marine Le Pen, Non!

As France breathes a temporary sigh of relief in the run offs, Marine Le Pen is still expected to contest the French election right up to the wire, with the margin seeming small, according to the BBC.

All I can say is the woman and her supporters are deluded.

You do not unite anyone, by deliberately excluding minorities.

It creates a fractured and tragic dynamic where everyone loses.

Thus greater is the sadness that some on the left are saying they are not going to vote.

I may not be a die hard Macron supporter, but even I can see he is infinitely preferable to a blatantly right wing candidate.

A candidate who will not only make minorities vulnerable, but will completely destroy the hope of the equality promised in the very essence of France.

France, you have the democratic power to keep extreme intolerance out, please don’t lose that chance.

Trade Unions make a smaller independent stand against the Russian War in Ukraine

Around 100 people gathered in parliament square with union banners today to protest for a free Ukraine.

Numbers increased to a few 100 as the march progressed to Whitehall.

They raised cheers from onlookers later in the rally, but the turnout was more symbolic than historic.

Protest in London against war in Ukraine

Over 150,000 turned out in London to protest against Putin’s war in Ukraine yesterday, numbers estimated by organisers.

Lambeth Council Meeting disrupted by Xtinction Rebellion

A small number of Xtinction Rebellion protestors interrupted a Climate Action launch at Lambeth Council this evening.

They urged the council to act quickly on Climate Change, to the slight dismay of Councillor Holland.

Diane from fuel poverty action also spoke at length at perceived issues with recycling in the borough, as well as highlighting the cost of living.

Councillor Holland defended the Council ‘s position.

British legislation to breach the Declaration of Human Rights amid an unfolding refugee crisis

As opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grows globally, the emergency stage of a refugee crisis is happening in the Ukraine now, similar to that experienced in Afghanistan after the withdrawal.

The humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine have brought into stark relief the uneven and unfair nature of the UK borders bill. This bill looks set to breach the 1951 UN Convention on Human Rights at a time when refugee rights sorely need protecting.

James Bulman of the UNHCR pointed to the fact that international law is dependent on UK compliance with it to bolster international respect for these laws, as they are not enshrined and require a lot of good will from participating countries.

Breaching them and not complying with them erodes international law globally.

It could be argued that wealthy nations such as Britain have an even greater responsibility to protect and uphold these laws.

Most refugees flee to bordering countries, so the overwhelming amount of pressure is felt there. This is why both the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and UNHCR work internationally, among other relief agencies.

The UNHCR is calling for an increase in speed of the asylum system at this time and into the future and the avoidance of detention, processing claims in the community.

The only real distinction of a refugee is under Article 1 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the move by the government and certain media outlets to class refugees as migrants if they have not accepted asylum on their first state of arrival should to James Bulman’s mind be discouraged.

Although he agrees in his role for the UNHCR that law regarding people trafficking is valuable, he does not believe that this new borders bill will achieve this and will disrupt an underlying humanitarian principle in the process.