TER Leith Walk sunny looking eastEdinburgh joins more than 40 cities in 12 countries to demand safe passage for refugees into Europe.

At 12 noon tomorrow Saturday 27 February, Newkirkgate in Leith will be the venue for a ‘speak out’ against racist immigration laws, calling for safe passage to Europe for all migrants.

Over 3,700 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2015, already over 410 have died in 2016. January 2016 was by far the deadliest month on record as at least 244 deaths were recorded.

A spokesperson for the event said: ‘These deaths are directly due to the lack of legal safe migration routes into Europe. Immigration controls and Fortress Europe’s militarised borders kill! We are calling out for all anti-racist groups and individuals to contact us and participate in this event. Join us on the streets, speak on our open mic, bring placards, banners, drums, ideas!’

Similar events will be taking place in Glasgow, Newcastle, London, Brighton, Bristol and Oxford. Photos will be available on the day on Facebook and Twitter pages ‘Migrants’ Solidarity Network’

The Migrants’ Solidarity Network is a network of different groups and individuals in Edinburgh, working together to challenge racist immigration laws and discrimination.

A spokesperson for the network explained ‘We are holding this event in Leith as we are trying to build links with existing communities and organisations in local areas. Racist immigration laws are attacking migrants’ rights, restricting access to healthcare, housing, benefits and legal work. Many people live in fear of discrimination, detention and deportation, threatened by immigration raids and checks at every bank, GP and jobcentre. Meanwhile international companies are profiting from the exploitation of migrant workers, who face precarious conditions, zero hours contracts, repressive agency practices. Whilst the media blames migrants, single mothers and unemployed people for this crisis- we refuse to accept this racism! We are inviting people to a local community meeting in Leith the next day, aiming to bring people together and discuss what issues are impacting on communities the most’

The meeting the following day will take place from 4pm-6pm at the Leith Community Education Centre, Newkirkgate, Leith EH6 6AD

Then on Tuesday 1 March the group will be taking part in a carnival of resistance protest on Princes Street at 6pm. The event links up with a European transnational social strike day of action. Entitled ’24 hours without us’ the initiative calls for a day of migrants’ strikes and solidarity actions across the continent, highlighting the exploitation and precaritisation of migrant workers and repression of refugees.

Submitted by Sam McGill

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