Hostility towards migrant communities is filling headlines, social media and even our streets. But what’s less visible is the powerful solidarity for the people who are subject to our hostile immigration system, that is shown every day, up and down the country. From volunteers supporting people at reporting centres to grassroots groups helping people find community and belonging, this quiet, everyday solidarity rarely gets much public attention.
So we want to celebrate this solidarity and make it impossible to ignore. On October 18, we’ll gather outside Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre in County Durham in a colourful display of solidarity, community and joy. At the same time, community actions across the country will show the women detained in Derwentside, and everyone affected by immigration detention, that they’re not forgotten. And we’ll show those in power that an alternative system is not only possible, but what much of the public demands.
Can’t be there in person? Join our coordinated online action to demand an end to immigration detention in the UK!
At 1pm on Saturday 18 October, help us flood social media with the hashtag #DignityNotDetention, amplifying the call for freedom, dignity, and human rights for all migrants and refugees.
Alongside Right to Remain’s hashtags – #NoOneIsIllegal #TheseWallsMustFall #MigrationIsLife – we’re asking you to stand in solidarity, raise your voice, and spread the message.
Suggested messaging for Insta / X / Facebook
No one should be locked up for seeking safety. The UK’s immigration detention system tears families apart and violates human rights. It’s time for #DignityNotDetention. Freedom is a human right.
#NoOneIsIllegal
#TheseWallsMustFall
#MigrationIsLife
Over 20,000 people are detained every year in the UK’s immigration system, many without a time limit. Indefinite detention destroys lives. It’s time for change.
#DignityNotDetention
#NoOneIsIllegal
#TheseWallsMustFall
#MigrationIsLife
Key messages:
- No one should be locked up for seeking safety
- Immigration detention destroys lives and divides families and communities
- The UK is the only country in Europe with no time limit on detention
- There are humane alternatives, detention is a political choice.
We are calling for:
- An end to immigration detention and the hostile environment
- A system that works better for everyone: where we don’t waste our shared resources on locking up people who just want to build a life here, but build a society where we’re all able to thrive, no matter where we come from.
- Communities to come together to make their solidarity with people who’ve built new lives in this country impossible to ignore.
Detention stands as one of the clearest and cruellest symbols of the UK’s hostile environment, a system that targets newcomers, friends, family and neighbours. The threat of detention hangs over too many migrants’ lives, and it robs our communities of the valuable contributions of many beloved members. For those locked away, detention means indefinite confinement, isolation, and inhumane conditions. Ending detention is not only about freeing individuals, it’s about restoring dignity, justice, and compassion to our society.
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