- The dry dock in Falmouth is starting to fill up. This means that there are just hours to go before the Bibby Stockholm refugee prison ship leaves for Portland. Campaigners say they will take direct action on land and sea to prevent it from leaving.
- The Bibby Stockholm has been in the dry dock since 9th May. It was originally only supposed to be in Falmouth for a couple of weeks. However, multiple problems were discovered with the barge, and it has remained in the dry dock for over/nearly [delete as applicable when we know] for two months. Now refitted by A&P, the Bibby Stockholm has doubled its capacity in order to imprison 500 asylum seekers in accommodation the size of parking spaces.
- Cornwall Resists has coordinated the campaign against the Bibby Stockholm. Over the last two months actions have included marches, leafletting,noise demos, banner drops, street art and splattering the A&P building with red paint. Now the Bibby is leaving, Cornwall Resists is calling on everyone who can get to Falmouth to join the actions taking place to stop the boat leaving on land and sea.
A spokesperson for Cornwall Resists stated:
“The time for words is over. Now is the time for action. Once the Bibby leaves Falmouth, it will be too late. It will then be used to imprison people as part of this government’s hostile environment policies against those seeking sanctuary on our shores. This is our opporutnity to use our privlege to put our bodies in the way of this ship leaving.
“We will not be comlpicit in racist border violence. We will not stand by and let this happen without doing everything we can to stop the Bibby. We owe it to those who will be imprisoned on this ship to take action. This country is resposnible for so many people having to flee, through both our colonial past and our colonial present. Many of those seeking sanctuary are escaping from the devastation caused by wars we have perpetrated or by bombs manufactured by UK companies.
“Many of those who will be imprisoned on the Bibby will have made dangerous and traumatic journies to reach the UK. No-one makes a journey like that unless they are desperate. Many will already be dealing with intense sea-related trauma. Locking these people up on a boat is nothing short of obsence.
“But our empathy and compassion towards these people is not enough. We need to show practical solidarity. We need to show this government does not speak for us. And we need to show that we will do everything we can to stop this boat”.
Join us in helping to bring reality and decency back by SUBSCRIBING to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1Ll1ylCg8U19AhNl-NoTg and SUPPORTING US where you can: Award Winning Independent Citizen Media Needs Your Help. PLEASE SUPPORT US FOR JUST £2 A MONTH https://dorseteye.com/donate/
