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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Danny Rigg

Jeremy Corbyn to attend Liverpool demo to say refugees are welcome in Merseyside

Hundreds of people have signed a petition condemning attempts to divide communities and "to create fear and hatred" against people seeking refuge in the UK.

The petition, organised by a group under the banner of Merseyside Anti-Racists Unite, was signed by more than 500 people, including councillors, trade union officials and activists in Merseyside as well as figures like West Derby MP Ian Byrne, co-founder of Merseyside Black Lives Matter Alliance, Chantelle Lunt, former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, former Knowsley Town Mayor Tony Ely and Ellen Loudon, canon chancellor of Liverpool Cathedral.

It comes after fireworks were launched at police and a police van was set on fire during a protest outside the Suites Hotel in Kirkby on Friday, February 10.

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The petition said: "The people of Knowsley and the wider Merseyside region are known for tolerance and peaceful community relations. Indeed, immigration and the acceptance of those seeking refuge from horrific experiences in their own countries is a significant part of the history of the Merseyside region.

"This is something to be proud of and defended against those who seek to disrupt it and create havoc for their own ends. We want to make it very clear that we welcome refugees and asylum seekers here. We will not tolerate any type of racism or discrimination in our society."

The organisers of the petition say they hope it will show the breadth of opposition to racism in the region and rally support for a 'Refugees Welcome Here' demonstration at St George's Hall at 12pm on Saturday, February 18. Organisers have announced former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a speaker.

A second petition, organised by Together With Refugees and signed by 180 charities, called on party leaders to "take a clear stand and condemn any further violence", saying: "The responsibility to create a system that is fair and compassionate, and brings cohesion instead of division, lies with our decision makers."

It was signed by at least 28 Merseyside organisations, including Share Knowsley, Asylum Link Merseyside and Liverpool Trades Union Council, as well as Save the Children, Ben and Jerry's and the Refugee Council.

The full list of signatories to Merseyside Anti-Racists Unite's petition:

Chantelle Lunt - Founder Merseyside Black Lives Matter Alliance, Merseyside Alliance for Racial Equality

Ashlee Brown - Merseyside Black Lives Matter Alliance, Merseyside Alliance for Racial Equality.

Claudia Murray – National Secretary Black Labour Movement

Ian Byrne - MP for Liverpool West Derby

Mick Whitley - MP for Birkenhead

Jeremy Corbyn - MP for Islington North

Kevin Courtney, General Secretary of the National Education Union

Ellen Loudon - Director of Social Justice for the Diocese of Liverpool and Canon Chancellor of Liverpool Cathedral

Alexei Sayle - Actor

Cllr Tony Ely – Labour Councillor St Michaels Huyton KMBC, Former Knowsley Town Council Mayor

Cllr Anna Rothery - Leader Liverpool Community Independents Party

Cllr Alan Gibbons – Deputy Leader Liverpool Community Independents Party

Cllr Chris Davies – Labour Councillor for Rock Ferry

Cllr Lucille Harvey - Labour Councillor for Princes Park ward

Cllr Lena Simic – Labour Councillor for Anfield Ward

Cllr Ellie Byrne - Labour Councillor for Everton Ward

Cllr Sam East - Labour Councillor for Warbreck ward

Cllr Maureen Delahunty – Labour Councillor for County

Cllr Nathalie Nicholas – Labour Councillor for Picton

Cllr Paul Hogan – Labour Councillor for Tanhouse, Skelmersdale

Cllr Ann O’Byrne – Labour Councillor for Warbreck Ward

Cllr Natasha Carlin – Labour Councillor for Blundellsands, Sefton

Cllr Tom Crone – Green Councillor for St Micheals ward

Cllr Stephanie Pitchers – Green Councillor for St Micheals ward

Cllr Lawrence Brown – Deputy Leader Green Party Group, Liverpool City Council

Cllr Joe Bird – Green Councillor for Bromborough

Cllr Akilah Akinola – Labour Councillor for Clifford Ward, Trafford

Polish Migrants Organise for Change

Wirral Trade Union Council

Liverpool Trade Union Council

Merseyside Socialist Alternative

LGBT+ Socialists

Liverpool Stand Up to Racism

United We Stand Solidarity Network

Fridays for Future Liverpool

Marzena Zukowska – Co-director Polish Migrants Organise for Change

Tayo Aluko – Tayo Aluko & Friends

Kelly Stubbs – Liverpool TransPride

Leah Levane – Chair, Freedom from Torture Supporters group

James Cartwright – Chair Carlisle Refugee Action Group

Paul Jenkins – North West Organiser, Unite Against Fascism

Lee Hunter - Chair Merseyside Fire Brigades Union

Mark Rowe – National Officer, Merseyside Fire Brigades Union

Ian Hibbert – Secretary, Merseyside Fire Brigades Union

Tracey Hylton - PCS Union - NEC, Vice Chair National Black Members Committee, TUC NW Delegate, TUC NW Black Members Committee, Merseyside Against Racism & Fascism, Liverpool Supporting Grenfell, Black Activists Against the Cuts - BARAC member.

Gerry Proctor MBE - Unite the union.

Sonia Bassey – Chair, Mandela8

Sabiha Shahzad – Chair Hamara Assra

Judy Ling Wong CBE – Honorary President, Black Environment Network

Vicky Jackson – Secretary, L8 Matters CLT

Vitalis Mbah – Mental Health Lead, Refugee and Asylum Participatory Action Research

Simon Petty - Regional Lead Care4Calais Liverpool

Paul Amann – Chair and founder, Kop Outs

Paul Hession – Co-Founder, Rainbow Toffees (Everton FC LGBTQ+ supporters group)

Nazek Ramadan – Director, Migrant Voice

Paul McGowan - Chairperson LGBT+ Socialists

Sarah Kake – President, Afro Caribbean Society Liverpool Hope

Will Phillips - Chairperson LJMU Student Socialist Alternative, Secretary LGBT+ Socialists

Alex Thompson - Student, Queer adventures president, Housing support worker

Max Barlow – Secretary University of Liverpool Labour students, Treasurer Liverpool Young Labour

Alice Yardley- Chair, University of Liverpool Labour Students

Tchevy Babindamana– President, Student Action for Refugees

Finlay Dineen – Secretary, University of Liverpool Communist Society

Chole Hawryluk – President, University of Liverpool Feminist Society

Emma Johnston - Communications Officer, Social Secretary, Liverpool John Moore’s University Feminist Society

Maddy Vaz – Founder and Chair, Sanctuary Family Support

Martin Ralph – Secretary, International Socialist League

Frank McEntaggart - Chair Defend our NHS.

Kevin Donovan - Secretary Defend our NHS.

Lesley Mahmood – Organiser, Save Liverpool Women’s hospital campaign.

Sheila Altes – Treasurer, Save Liverpool Women's Hospital and Keep Our NHS Public Merseyside

Kevin Robinson-Hale – Equalities Officer Liverpool and Everton West Candidate, Green party

Zadia Naif – Licensee, Ye Cracke Public House

Eddy Dalzell - Liverpool Socialist Worker Student Society, Liverpool Trans Pride

Sky Harrison – Liverpool Socialist Workers Party

Bee Hughes – Chair, LJMU UCU

Saira Weiner - UCU NW Regional Chair, UCU NEC, branch secretary at LJMU

Mo Hosein Abbasi – Researcher LJMU

Peta Bulmer - President, University of Liverpool UCU

Mark O'Brien - Vice President, University of Liverpool UCU

Nina Doran – UCU National Executive Committee

Ali Reynolds - UCU, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Carol Cody – Treasurer UCU, City of Liverpool College

Pam Clarke - UCU, University of Liverpool

Alan Brown - UCU, Liverpool Stand Up to Racism

Anna Fox – UCU

Chris Harvey – Secretary, UCU

Will Hardman - UCU, University of Liverpool

Cherie Judge - UCU, University of Liverpool

Lauren Sandford - Secretary, UCU Liverpool University Branch

Samuel Mercer – Branch Chair, Liverpool Hope UCU

John Howard - PDRA at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LSTM UCU Rep, Green Party candidate for Sefton Park ward

Diana Jeater – Liverpool UCU

Andy Morse - UCU, University of Liverpool

Rachel Broady – NUJ/UCU

Eve Merrall- Green Rep UCU

Rich Moth – UCU

Wendy Coxshall – Liverpool Hope University UCU

Jess Achilleos – UCU

Jo McNeill -UCU

Danny Blair - UCU

Richard Kirkwood – UCU, Hackney TUC

Abi O’Connor – UCU, University of Liverpool

Rosalynd Southern – Communication Officer UCU, University of Liverpool

Lauren Sandford – Secretary, UCU University of Liverpool

James Roscoe – PGR Rep, UCU, University of Liverpool

Lynn Hancock - UCU, University of Liverpool

Debs Gwyn - National Executive Merseyside and Lancashire, NEU

Hazel Danson - National Officer, NEU

Colleen Johnson - Seat Holder Disabled Members National Exec, NEU

Simon Murch - Joint Secretary, Sheffield NEU & National Executive, NEU

Jess Edwards- Executive Member NEU

Denise Henry - NEU Black Members Representative

Elizabeth Mclean – Welsh Executive Member, NEU

Doug Morgan - Assistant Secretary, Birmingham NEU

Christopher Denson- National Executive NEU

Shelia Caffery - National Executive, NEU

Nicola Hawkins - National Executive NEU

Daniel Giblin – Regional Chair, Fire Brigades Union

Ollie Burrow – Cumbria Brigade Secretary, Fire Brigades Union

Tom Cogley – Lancashire Chair, Fire Brigades Union

Ed Burrows- Regional Secretary North West FBU

Ben Jones – Fire Brigades Union

Stephen Spencer – H&S Branch Rep, Fire Brigades Union

Les Skarratts – Executive Committee Member, Fire Brigades Union

David Pike – Secretary, Greater Manchester Fire Brigades Union

Martin Cavanagh - PCS Deputy President, PCS Group President (DWP), PCS NW Regional Chair

Rita Berry – Chair, DWP Liverpool Branch PCS

Sarah Morton - Branch Secretary, DWP Liverpool Branch, PCS

Bryan Carlsen – Branch Secretary, PCS

Michelle Doyle – Equality Rep, PCS

Angela Grant - PCS Union NEC - Group Vice President - National Black Members Committee - NW Regional Committee Vice Chair

Marianne Owens - PCS National Executive Committee

Tracy Abrahams - PCS Midlands

Davis Owens – National Committee Member, PCS ARMS

Steve Swainston – PCS

Maz Gaskell - PCS

Kate Douglas – PCS

Chris Clarke – Equality Officer, PCS

Paul Williams - PCS NEC member and DFT Group President

Tim Nicholls - PCS Dorset

Niki Burns – PCS

Tony Oneill – Branch Rep, PCS

Ian Lawther – Chair R&C East Midlands PCS Branch, Assistant group secretary and PCS NEC member

Sharon Ineill – PCS

Keith Hebron – ARMS PCS Merseyside

Antoni Chmielowski – PCS HMRC

Claire Keenan –Stratford R&C PCS branch organiser, GEC member

Kneale Faragher – PCS

Sarah Ensor - National Executive Committee and Branch Secretary PCS

Paul Chadwick – Secretary, CWU Warrington Mail Centre Branch

Brian Parsons - CWU Branch Official

Nadeem Khan - Local & National CWU officer, BAME & Political Officer

Liam Royle – CWU

Helen Wilkie - CWU/NUJ

Seam Miskimmon - NEC Member, RMT

Steven Shaw - NEC Member North West and North Wales, RMT

Daren Ireland – Regional Organiser, RMT

Karl Schofield - Liverpool No 5 Branch Chair, RMT

William Kimm - Liverpool No 5 Branch Secretary, RMT

John Tilley - Regional Organiser, RMT

Christopher Knibb - President North West and North Wales Regional Council, RMT

Darren Pilling - Secretary, North West and North Wales Regional Council, RMT

Charlie Whealan – Secretary Central and North Mersey Branch RMT

Stuart Attick - RMT

Ian Boyle – RMT

Shelagh Hewitt – RMT

Alice Bennett – Chair, Unite, Unison (West Lancashire branch) and Liverpool Momentum

Tony Gaskell - Branch Secretary, Unite NW/65

Ian Dunne -Chair, Unite NW/65

David Beale – Vice Chair, Unite NW/11500 Lancashire Community Branch

John Hayden – Unite Branch NW/127404

Louise Reecejones – Unite

Mikey Byrne – Unite

Senay Nyrang - Unite

Richard Eccles - Unite

Karen Fletcher - Unite

Matt Costello - Unite

Steve Hayden - Unite

Janet Cashman - Wirral Unite Community Branch Equalities officer.

Clara Paillard - Unite the Union, Tipping Point UK, Liverpool Climate Justice Coalition

Diane O'Gorman - Unite Community Manchester

Sarah Henney – Unite

Michael Hardy - Unite

Dawn Grant – Secretary Unite Community Wirral

Hazel Graham – Unite

Lisa Rossetti – Unite Community

Catherine Crowther - Unite

Ronald Corbin – Education Officer, Unite Community Branch NW11500

Jan Marsden – Unite Community

Adam McNamara – Unite

Jonathan Sanchi – Unite, Stand Up to Racism

Steve Hayden – Unite Community, Liverpool Labour Party

Dave Walsh – President, Liverpool Trade Union Council

Mel Guilfoyle – President Wirral Trade Union Council

Ian Seddon – Secretary Wirral Trade Union Council

Peter Billington – Secretary Lancashire Association of Trade Union Councils

Ken Cridland – Secretary Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre Trade Union Council

Holly Turner – NHS Workers Say No

Sarah Wilks – GP, NHS

Anushka Schwager-Patel – Decolonise UoL

Mandy Vere - News from Nowhere (Retired), Unite

Gail Bradbrook – Co-Founder Extinction Rebellion

Judy Ugonna - Extinction Rebellion Merseyside

Jane Garde - Extinction Rebellion

Zoe Cohen – Extinction Rebellion

Nicky Crosby – Extinction Rebellion Merseyside

Cath O’Rourke – Sefton Climate Action Group

Sarah Davies - Liverpool Friends of the Earth

Leelou GF - Global Justice Youth

Tigs Manley - Merseyside Youth for Justice (Global Justice Now youth network)

Susan Ward - Christian Climate Action

Tony Norbury – Secretary, Wirral Co-op Party

Tristan Beach – Socialist Workers Party Merseyside

David Bridge – Stand Up to Racism

A Kan - Stand Up to Racism, Hate Racist Monitoring GROUP

Wendy Smith – Founder, MUFC Fans Against Racism

Nina Houghton – Merseyside Solidarity Knows no Borders

Helen Dickson – Founding Member, Merseyside Solidarity Knows no Borders

Ruth Austen-Vincent - Unison and XR Merseyside

Katherine Jenner – Extinction Rebellion

Laurie Kay – Organiser Fridays for Future Liverpool

Amy Reeves - Organiser Fridays for Future Liverpool

Julia Simpkins - Assistant secretary Bolton NEU

Marie Harrison – Co-Chair Merseyside Pensioners Association. Unite the Union

Tony Rimmer – Co-Chair Merseyside Pensioners Association

Audrey White – Secretary Merseyside Pensioners Association

Lynda Sergent – Social Secretary, Merseyside Pensioners Association, Unite the Union, Bakers union.

Victoria Cuckson - PCS Union, Unite Community 567, Merseyside Pensioners Association

Valerie Elson - Merseyside Pensioners Association

David Toller – Treasurer Merseyside Pensioners Association

Lesley Rimmer - Merseyside Pensioners Association

Linda Heap – Assistant Treasurer Merseyside Pensioners Association

Margaret Tyson - Merseyside Pensioners Association

Rhona O'Brien - Unite Community Member, Merseyside Pensioner's Association, Friends of the Earth, Liverpool Climate Justice Coalition, Merseyside Solidarity Network

Terry Clarke - Merseyside Pensioners Association

Jeremy Hawthorn – Coordinator Liverpool Friends of Palestine

James Lees – Liverpool Friends of Palestine

Michelle Cox – Chair, Steve Biko Housing Association Liverpool

Ben Squires – CEO, Liverpool school of plastering

Julia Nelki - Retired Child Psychiatrist NHS

Mo Ungi – NASUWT

Nigel James – Workplace rep, NASUWT

Jessica Weaver – University of Liverpool

Micheal Vernett Showers - Unite Against Racism

Dylan Thomas – Member Defence Coordinator ACORN

Thomas Preston-Cahil – ACORN

Georgina Schueller – ACORN

Steve Walker – Editor Swawkbox

Lynn Wilde - University of Liverpool

Sepeedeh Saleh - University of Liverpool/Oldham Council Public Health

Eleanor Godwin - University of Liverpool

Bruce Routledge – University of Liverpool

Aldona Norkus - University of Liverpool

Rachel Pope – Reader in European Prehistory University of Liverpool

Grainne McMahon - Senior Lecturer (Huddersfield) and Research Lead/ Trustee (RAPAR) University of Huddersfield and RAPAR

Keith Hebron – ARMS PCS Merseyside

Khan Odita – Founder Mulgrave Street Action Group CIC

Linda Hackett – Chair, Wirral Amnesty

Linda Bacon - Liverpool Amnesty

Shahzeb Aslam - Liverpool Amnesty Society

Emma Scott - Medact

Felicity Dowling – Left Unity, Liverpool 47 Surcharged Councillors

Teresa Williamson - Patients Not Passports

Maria Oreilly - Nans against the nazis

Pat Harvey – Nans against the nazis, Unite

Kathy Anderson – Business Manager Progressive Futures

Lewis Rees Melville - Socialist Party, General Secretary Edge Hill Socialist Students

Mansoor Hassan – National Union of Journalists

Gary Roberts – Chair, National Union of Journalists Manchester Branch

Kath Grant – Secretary Manchester and Salford National Union of Journalists

Steve Anderson - Stand Up to Racism.

Catherine Hughes – High Peak Stand Up to Racism

Ameen Hadi – Chair, Salford City Unison, Northwest TUC Black Workers Committee

Elain Jones – Chair, Cheshire and Wirral Community Health Unison

Carol Rowe – Unison, Labour Party

Gerry O'Gorman – Unison

Mandy Williams - Unison

David Calland - Unison

James Robinson – Branch Secretary Knowsley Unison

Lois Founds – Unison

Dean Ryan – Shop Steward, Islington Unison

Martin Timson – Steward Unison Merseytravel / LCRCA

Mal Ferguson – Joint Secertary, Unison Merseytravel / LCRCA

Nigel Grant – Streatham Labour Constituency

Sue Quinlan – Labour Party

Jordan David – Secretary Walton Constituency Labour Party

Susan Dykes - Secretary Clubmoor Branch Labour Party

Lesley Spillard – Labour Party

Carol Beckett – Women’s Officer Labour Party

Mike Cushman – Membership Secretary, Jewish Voice for Labour

Nicholas Postlethwaite - Passionist Congregation

Kris Pears - Pax Christi

Claire Hetherington - Our Common Home, Holy Apostles & Martyrs catholic parish, Wallasey

Anne Litherland - Holy Apostles and Martyrs parish

Munzi Ali – Chair, Sefton Multicultural Centre

Sharon Paris Chambers – Founder Temple of Inner Peace

Revd. Keith Hitchman – Vicar, St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church & Christ Church Toxteth Park

Eleanor Dalton – St Anne’s Justice and Peace group

Clive Donnley – Human Rights educator/National Team Director, Atlas Movement

Abi Deivanayagam - Race & Health Advocacy Lead

Brennda Nasr – NHS Practice Manager

Val Colvin - Nurse

Sasha Simic – Branch Rep Usdaw C13 Central Books Branch

Paul Regan – Secretary GMB Trafford

Danny Burns -Branch President, GMB k28 Branch Knowsley

Karen Davies – Organiser GMB

Peter Colins - GMB

Karen Copsey – Joint Secretary, NEU

Katy McAuley – NEU Retired member

Karen William - National Executive, NEU

Heather McKenzie - NEC National Women’s Forum Chair TUC GC, NEU

Leigh Seedhouse – District Secretary, Oxfordshire NEU

Dawn Taylor - National Executive, NEU

Jack Roberts – Assistant Secretary, Liverpool NEU

Nick Wigmore – National Executive, NEU

Sue Amariello - National Executive, NEU

Robin Head - National Executive, NEU

Ed Harlow - National Executive, NEU

Emma Parker - Executive Member and Durham Joint Branch and District Secretary NEU

Jon Reddiford - National Executive, NEU

Carol Wing – Committee Member, Oxfordshire NEU

Stefan Simms - Secretary & National Executive NEU

Jane Bassett – Officer, NEU

Murray Sackwild – National Executive, NEU

Emma Rose – Senior Vice President, NEU

Nicky Downes – National Executive NEU

Louise Regan – National Officer NEU

Warren Chambers – District Secretary, NEU

Jamie Doran - Clover Films

Emma Leaper – Action Asylum National Coordinator Asylum Link Merseyside

Dave Evans – Volunteer Asylum Link Merseyside

Michelle Charters – Chief Executive Officer Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre

Dr Luna Munoz – Founder, The Luminary Group LTD

Lucy Dossor – Director Growing Sudley CIC

Arizona Muse – Founder, DIRT

Caroline Mair-Toby – Director She Changes Climate Institute for Small Islands

Antointte Vermilye – Co-founder She Changes Climate

Cindy Forde – Founder, Planetari

Tony Jennings – Secretary, Croxteth Community Garden

Stephenie Warren – Director, Stella Dore Gallery

Nathaneal Hoian – Liverpool John Moore’s Student

Annie O'Brien

Emily Hollands

Irene Leonard

Colette Byrne

Danny Gazzi

Anna Kiriakoulakis

Oksana Yatsenyak

Clare Pitt

Eileen Barry

David Parry

Karen Jackson

Debbie Lange

Ana Perich

Alia Boqash

Shelah Semoff

Jenna Ali

Becky Fitch

Peter Connell

Rose Chandler

Pauline Philippe

Seemus Keavy

Alica Esteban

Will McGowan

Racheal Emblem

Jemma Russell

Mary Whitby

Leah Gilman

Nicole Williams

Stewart Walsh

Mike Harries

Ian Williamson

Brendon Deacy

Erin Smith

June Gilbert

Oliver Schafer

Ann Bridge

David Fagan

Ken Pickup

David Dunne

Dawn Grant

John Grant

Jon Greenwood

Gillian Homeri

Nathan Williams

Mathew Dennis

Antonia Russell

Heidi Spring-Jones

Christina Averhart

Paul Bannon

Pete Smullen

Alma Yaniv

Irene Leonard

Chris Helm

George Wilmers

Dave Gibbons

Philip Moroney

Luke Stephenson

Joe Kelly

Leila Mimmack

Tony Harper

Lorraine Brown

Abi Wells

Terry Casey

Val Walsh

Ellen Speed

Peter Martin

Holly Harwood

Natalie Sumner

Micheal Simon

Ed Townsend

Joanne McNeils

Jem Martin-Gibson

Marie Walsh

Kath Gilbert

Jake Roney

Rebecca Smyth

Heather Nunnen

Mel Sulivan

Julie McKenzie

Cina Aissa

Sabrina Fogg

Paul Bannon

Sheila Freedman

Charlie Hall

Diane Burns

Pauline Gibbons

Yvonne Lunney

Anne-Marie Watson

Christopher Ryley

Iain Stewart

Louise Caferra

Marie Watson

Margaret Touati

Meg Juss

Stephen Kennedy

Judith Agis

Veronica Leacock

Sarah T

Jenny Secretan

Margate Bailey

Gareth Jenkins

Hannah Fyson

Zahir Aziz

Peter Chowney

Conor O’Neill

Jeffery Shields

Nic Baird

Cameron Dineen

Jeanette Hampson

Rebecca O'Gorman

Suami Rocha

Alyson Thornton

Bernadette Akpan

Suzi Keating

Sharon Cole

Sara Munikwa

Alex Cupid

Claire Wilde

Michelle Gibson

Derek Fraser

Vicki Malik

Alison Cassidy

Philp Moroney

Mal Bride

Gwyneth Farleigh

Genevieve Smart

Jane Shipley

Drew Shapter

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