A giant Pembrokeshire-created postcard to the UK Government protesting against ‘fascist ’proposals to send refugees to Rwanda has suffered a second failed delivery attempt.
A group from Stand Up to Racism West Wales visited the offices of Carmarthen west and south Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart in Whitland yesterday, Tuesday October 4, with the aim of handing over the 6’ x 4’ postcard in the hopes that it will reach the UK Government.
The plans to send asylum seekers to the East African country were announced earlier this year, and are currently up against a series of legal challenges from charities, campaign groups and lawyers who deny that Rwanda is a safe destination.
The policy is now subject to a judicial review.
In April, Mr Hart – then Secretary of State for Wales – said that the scheme ‘has the potential to be a really good step forward and a really humane step forward’.
Artist Anna Waters was amongst the Stand Up to Racism West Wales members in Whitland yesterday who found Mr Hart’s office in darkness.
However, they wrote messages on small images of the postcard and posted them through the door.
Anna said: “We made this second delivery attempt to raise awareness of the continued legal challenge being mounted against this fascist policy by Asylum Aid.
“Their hearing begins on Monday and the legal decision in Royal Courts of Justice will be based on this challenge and an earlier challenge by Care4Calais and others.
“Our first attempt, on September 5, was to the UK Government Home Office buildings in Cardiff, starting our delivery journey at the Senedd having met with Welsh Refugee Coalition and Senedd members.
"On arriving at the Home Office, they locked the door on us.”
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The creation of the giant postcard was the result of a social media project by Artisan Avenue, which Anna and other socially-engaged artists set up in Tenby during lockdown to encourage community creativity for its well-being benefits.
The project - entitled A Hand in Protest - saw participants express how they felt about the policy within an outline drawing of their own hand.
Forty images are featured on the postcard, which has also been made into a banner, and carries a poem by Mark Lewis on the reverse side.
“It was significant that a substantial number chose to remain anonymous,” revealed Anna.
“Time, finance, geography, accessibility and fear factors can all place restraints on people protesting in public.
“Those of us who do protest in person have appreciated the extended solidarity from those who are unable to and we’ll continue to create avenues for all to protest against policies which run counter to our ideology in Wales.”
The group have more delivery dates planned for the giant postcard, and invite everyone who would like to find out more about organised protest events to follow the Facebook page for Stand Up To Racism West Wales.
Details of other forms of protest will be published at facebook.com/ artisanavenue
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