Students march to commemorate refugees

UoL students marched in memory of all refugees yesterday on campus, in hope of highlighting the on-going refugee crisis and to remember all who died attempting the crossing.

The march was organized by Student Action for Refugees, also known as ‘STAR.’ They offer a host of services for refugees including English lessons, food and clothing donations and advice about the city of Liverpool.

As well as conducting a march around the campus, STAR also encouraged supporters to sign a petition, which calls for more support from the UK government to tackle the ever-growing refugee crisis.

Campaigner Abby Meadows spoke to The Tab about her concerns for the on-going refugee crisis: “In a few months, the weather will improve again and this will mean thousands more men, women and children will attempt to cross the Mediterranean by boat to ensure their entry to Europe.

“This is something that the UK government MUST respond to, and ensure we have enough search and rescue missions so no more people have to die at the hands of our UK foreign policy, or our ignorant UK government.”

Tamsine Fagan, a member of the STAR committee, told The Tab, “This is so important to me, as it raises awareness to the deaths of anyone who tried to make the crossing this summer. These people are not statistics. They are real people, with real lives and real families.”

Carenza Arnold, who is in the STAR commitee, is currently studying towards an MA in International Relations at UoL. As part of her role, she organizes English lessons for refugees at the Asylum link, which currently run every Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Teaching refugees to speak English is a brilliant way of helping people who have suffered extreme hardships in the form of poverty, war, trafficking, violence and a list of other tragic incidents. It is also a great way to improve your teaching skills, meet new people and learn more about refugees, as opposed to believing the lies painted by the main-stream media.”

For information on how to get involved, check out the STAR Facebook page.