NO FLOATING PRISONS
Dear Suella Braverman,
We, the undersigned, are writing to express deep concern about the proposal to house people seeking asylum arriving to the UK on the barge ‘Bibby Stockholm’ as of July 2023.
For many people seeking asylum arriving in the UK, the sea represents a site of significant trauma as they have been forced to cross it on one or multiple occasions. Housing people on a sea barge - which we argue is equal to a floating prison - is morally indefensible, and threatens to retraumatise a group of already vulnerable people.
As we understand, the barge is currently being modified to increase its capacity from 220 to 500, which means people will be tightly packed into rooms with no privacy and little ability to move freely. Conservative MP Richard Drax has himself expressed concerns about unanswered questions such as how people seeking asylum will be able to come and go safely through the port, what activities they will be provided with and how sufficient healthcare will be ensured.
When the Bibby Stockholm was used by the Dutch government as an immigration detention site in the 2000s, it is reported that an Algerian national detained onboard died, following a delayed and inadequate response to his deteriorating heart condition. Cases of rape and abuse onboard were also reported. At the time, human rights organisations condemned immigration detention, particularly on ships, as inhumane.
It is without question that this is the wrong solution - morally, ethically, and logistically - for the question of where to house people seeking asylum upon arrival to the UK.
We urge you to abandon these plans and establish a working group consisting of MPs, housing experts, trauma experts and civil society actors to move forward on establishing an appropriate, community-based solution for the accommodation of people seeking asylum.
Yours sincerely,
Organisations:
Reclaim The Sea C.I.C
Channel Rescue
The Game Plan
The Worldwide Tribe
Mobile Info Team
Bees & Refugees
Phone Credit For Refugees
Anti-Raids Plymouth
Refugee Legal Support (RLS)
International Surf Therapy Organization
Falmouth and Penryn Welcome Refugee Families
Surf Therapy C.I.C
Free Humanitarians
Napier Friends
Disco Boots
Wave Wahines
Search and Rescue Relief
Give Back Project Plymouth
Rise Fierce
Refugee Rescue
Conversations From Calais
UK Must Act
Europe Must Act
Student Action for Refugees (STAR)
The William Gomes Podcast
RefuAid
Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group
Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
Plymouth University Stand Up Paddleboard Society
Plymouth University Occupational Therapy Society
Cornwall Resists
JustLove Falmouth
Calais Food Collective
Asylum Matters
Cambridge Community Kitchen
From the Sea to the City
Calderdale Valley of Sanctuary
Refugee Support Europe (1174070)
Refugee Support Group Berkshire
Asylum Welcome
West London Welcome
Forensic Architecture
Cambridge Refugee Scholarship Campaign
Bail for Immigration Detainees
Detention Action
Stories of Hope and Home
I Have Rights.
Surfivor
Migrants’ Rights Network
WAVE Thessaloniki
Global Link
Divest Borders Falex
Cornwall Youth Climate Alliance (CYCA)
Refugee Community Kitchen
Anti Capitalist Action
London Trans Resistance
Marlow Refugee Action
Safe Passage International
Give Your Best
MSF UK | Médecins Sans Frontières
Medact
Sordya
forRefugees
NPA Cornouaille
Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN)
Young Roots
Refugease
Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees(AVID)
Tipping Point UK
No Border in Climate Justice
The Launchpad Collective
Are You Syrious
Choose Love
TRAMPOLINE Cafe
Watch the Med - Alarm Phone
Sea-Watch
Action For Sama
Inspiring Women Network
Remove the Slave Trader Memorial campaign in Falmouth
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
STAR Cambridge (Student Action for Refugees)
One And All Aid
AUOB Kernow
Unite Community Cornwall
Herts for Refugees
Mebyon Kernow
Truro Community Refugee Support
Shropshire Supports Refugees
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum
Growing Links Street Food Project
Individuals:
Tigs Louis-Puttick (Founder, Reclaim The Sea)
Manon Louis-Puttick
Rebecca van der Veer
Flo Gregory
Ella Nevill
Miyka Porcelli
Pauline Fritz
Laurence Louis-Puttick
Kate Vogiatzis
Alexandra Becker
Annie Molloy
Steven Martin
Christian Algar
Layla Mackie
Marine Coullard
Izzy Riley
Elizabeth Moreton
Stephen Moreton
Amy Kenealy
Bernie Moreton
James Moreton
Chantel Yasmin Wheatley
Ben Brondesma
Connor Mower
Paolo Peluso
Jasmine O’Hara (Founder, World Wide Tribe)
Emily Holmes
Rachel Bowen
Jasmin Dorinda
Martha Nash
Dani Green
Tom Brine
Daisy Taylor
Magda Cienciala
Chelsey King
Rebecca Annells
Rebecca Seabrook
Olivia Brodie-Stuart
Owen Robinson
Sahar Seidl
Darya Laris
Iona Kerr
Georgia Howton
George Colville
Roseanna Freiburghaus
Oliver Mackie
Katherine Schimmel
Finn Chapman
Ciara Lithgow
Anaëlle Ménage
Ali Alzein
Hondee Gongolo
Mariana Vale
Declan Onley
Arkan Asaad Houssini
Wren du Plessis
Joey Swan
Beck Rouse
Zazie Schilke
Vanessa Van Kleef
Megan Lindsay
Ilse de Wit
Georgie Ambrose
Cordelia Roberts
Abigail Cooper
Jenny Thompson
Ellie Murphy
Lize Gibson-Hall
Kirsty Matthews Nicholass
Eleanor Gilbert
Maxime Lagaisse
Olivia Mantoura
Fauzi Mantoura
Sarah Layton
Rosi Reusing
Ffion Denman
Ben Galvin
Olivia Elwood
Emelie Aichholzer
Sophie Ferch
Harry Scott
Efi Stathopoulou
Eloise Levien
Phil Owen
Harris King
Belle Heaton
Maayan Halevi
Eliza Sherlock
Stephanie Wells
Rhea Dhingra
David Starley
Heather Shimmer
Emily Roach Osborne
Linzi Hawkin
Carolina Salgueiro Perreira (Founder, Don’t Skip Humanity)
Kate Flanagan
Michaela Robinson
Linsey Walklin
Ruth Cooper-Haime
Maxine Canvin
Tom Pugh-Jones
Thomas Appleton
Orla Renton
Kris Primacio (CEO, International Surf Therapy Organization)
Anja Kurtz
Olivia Cash
Melaine Le Bars
Adrienne Humphreys
Maximilian Kratz
Ellen Harrison
Rachel Zanetti
Katherine Kirkham
Alessia Zancan
Sara Bartosova
Martina Burtscher (Founder, Sea Sisters SL)
Bella Biddle
Dee Hall
Elèna Santioli
Ella Witt
Hebe Johnson
Ellen Bennington
Daniel Baker
Anna Snedden
Isla Kitching
Isobel Bruce
Harry Gildersleeve
Ali North
Tobias Maynard
Seona Macleod
Isis Bliah
Tiger Chan
Tean Manser
Callum Tobin
Michael Annells
Danielle Tweedie
Matthieu De Smet
Sandy Cornet
Benjamin Ottevaere
Sara Coopman
Nathalie Coopman
Lucas Detremmerie
Anneleen Detremmerie
Joost Detremmerie
Jitte Daalmeijer
Beth Tindall-Jones
Davina Bacon
Megan Kelley
Molly Windust
Jordan Leeming
Anderson Yan
Rebecca Jane Yan
Emily Adams
Bryony Rule
Giulia Cristaldi
Rachel Bromell
Jordan Gardner
Cici Peng
Heather Ariyarathenam
Jim McAuliffe
Waleed Abdallah
Haddu
Rupert Blomfield
Jasmine Hortop
Shannon Donnelly
Seamus Donnelly
Patricia Cuskeran
Philip Cuskeran
Anne-Marie Beattie
Dermot Beattie
Charlotte Heron
Conor Heron
Kerry Heron
Marnie Davidson
Jessica Dowthwaite
Katherine Storr
Sophie Hellyer
Dorothy Tye
Jonny Marriott
Freya Holroyd
Sophie Myatt
Philip Heron
Harry Heron
Kevin Beattie
Jude Beattie
Tobias Beattie
Elliot Beattie
James McCloy
Kathy Donnelly
Darcy Donnelly
Rosie McCloy
Kelly Warburton
Robyn Foster
Eva Supply
Milan Dispersn
Kaat Callewaert
Freya Williams
Neve Rimmer
Allie Carstairs
Penina Collins
Katya Herberg
Steven Halkyard
Kyran Joughin (UCU National Exec Committee)
Jenny Fox
Daniel Gaze
Sarah Finn
Sarah Mantell Roberts
Daniel Mantell Roberts
Joanna Czerwinska
Nik Hazell
Esmee Asia Turlej
Sophia Russell
Verity Smithson
Isabelle Jones
Michael Dickinson
Elisabeth Homs Roldan
Richard Heard (Founder, Refugee Rescue)
Kimberley Miller
Jake Keisner
Poppy Yeomans
James Dunsby
Nancy Kehoe
Julie Bourdin
Issey Charlesworth
Lauren Stanton
Mathilda Della Torre (Founder, Conversations from Calais)
Jo Barker
Phoebe Larn Jones
Jessica Kelly
Carrie Hart
Lucy Johnson
Isabella Rose Bunce
Celine Crowder
Kim van den Anker
Aimee Louis-Puttick
Riva Kapoor
Orla Kilroy
Martha Smith
Christina Linher
Sofia Romoli
Lana Colwood
India West
Abigail Grace
Ruth Morris
Christopher Luu
Harriet Eaton
Phoebe Gale
Terence Dungay
Lola Milsom
Edoardo Maccari
Edie Turner
Youssra Manlaykhaf
Kingsley Hunt
Leona Bayliss
Jamie Johnson
Annabel Duggleby
Cllr. Owen Davies (Penryn Town Council)
Minnie Harrop
Gabrielle Westland
Ellie Brittain Long
Robyn Moffat
Johara Meyer
Amy Zhang
Jonah Woodward
Christian Schmidt
Siobhan Coskeran
William Nicholas Gomes (Human rights activist and Journalist)
Raphaëlle Cantin
Andrew Lilley
Catharine Walston
Elsa Beau
Amy Massey
Daisy Girardet
Ella Burns
Milla-Alexia Gojkovic
Rachel Ronnie
Taidg Cremin
Autumn Laskey-Downs
Meg Niblett
Ella Evans-Puttick
Hannah Truelove
Holly Smith
Bridget Withers
Olivia Millard
Ellie Dickson
Stephanie Spencer
Rebecca Lloyd
Emilie Rossi
Poppy Bailey
Peach Doble
Moira Grant McLoughlin
Louise Marie Fisher
Kate Hyde
Kirty Topping
Grace Mullender
Hannah Priest
Rachel Harrington
Isabel Luetkenherm
Charlotte Raffo
Nina Stevens
Myrtle Gregory
Amber Smith
Joe Stokes Neustadt
Greg Sowa
Megan Clift
Ryan Drew
Eva Humphry
Alice Gray
Phoebe Hardingham
Luisa Bax
Ifor Duncan
Eva Simmons
Nina Theissen
Aouad Abdelhalim
Harriet Reynolds
Lukas Fraser
Verena Aistleitner
Hope Capurro
Kiran Kalkat
Kathryn McPolin
Juliet Binns
Martha Smith
Emile Michels
Joe Peck
Charlotte Hutton
Laura Emily
Charlotte Freeman
Emma Gault
Aaron Fraiser
James Woods
Anna Hamilton
Heather Massey
Megan Massey
Hettie Brown
Loraine Maisya Mponela (Author)
Fred Holker
Frankie Turk
Ben Challen
Shayan Navab
Hannah Pinkett
Sebastian Short
Francesca Battle
Sarah Allenby
Noah Poole
Jake Ballin
George Scott
Khaleefa AlDhaheri
Eleanor Bootman
Courtney Butterworth
Rachael Barrett
Sinéad Keogh
Tommy Monahan
Johanna Rabe
Libby Styles
Awate Abdalla
Cynthia Fernando
Amardeep Singh Dhillon
Isobel Greenwood
Anya Webber
Ella Dodd
Ellen Rafiqi
Katie Amers
Gabriel Feldman
Tom Pugh
Zaahir Santhanam
Katryna Cumbers
Rachel Puttick
Kevin Klumpje
Hannah Copeland
Eve Jones
Hope Barker
Nathan Davies
Patrick McCarthy
Gwen van der Schaaf
Jasmine Doust (Founder, Samos Volunteers)
Phoebe Thomson
Jocelyn Barker
Imogen McRoberts
Davide Schmid (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Gemma Bird (University of Liverpool)
Gareth Roblin
Ellie Webb
Sophie English
Claudia Lomabrdo
Grace Peters
Emma Stevens
Elsa Kent
Ben Freeborn
Luke Adams
Daisy Lancaster
Olivia Antelmann
Rose Mackonochie
Samuel Leiper
Gessienne Grey
Kuu Bach
Lily Barnett
Janie Mac
Beatrice Pintucci
Jo Healey
Anna Stopford
Kate Hiscock
Yelyzaveta Zaza
Jed Asemota
Scarlett Reiners
Sophie Adam
Ben Philipps
Isobel Grogan
Anupamaa Nayak
Rose Harman
Amelia Utting
Beth Poole
Samuel Jones
Dora Polenta
Jonathan Stowell
Francesca Paini
Annie Molloy
Jarlath Curran
Lauren Hayes
Molly Ashton
Riley Cann
Margaret McAdam
Ky Bao Ho
Sarah El Hadj
Georgia Edwards
Agus Oliveri
Isobel Mombler
Miranda Vesely
Ben Barker
Flossy Barraud
Sae Bosco
Sol Escobar (Founder, Give Your Best)
Lydia Syson
Jamie Tulacz
Marianne Orsolic
Rowena De Silva
Dinesh Liyanege
Lianne Wilson
Lori Uglow
Nicky Stranack
Rueben Brown
Robert Cohen
Emma Milburn
Nathan Doust
Nima Moradi
Simone Innico
Jonas Kunz
Kathleen Ward
Liam Hough
Noriko Suzuki-Bosco
Charlie Barlow
Karolina Rugle
Sophie McCann
Gee Manoharan
Polly O’Loughlin
Reto Plattner
Eilidh Barird
Katharina Schulenberg
Rachel Rosen
Maddie Taylor
George Jeffries
Hazel Ryan
Humaira Rahbin
Elaine O’Donnell
Patrick Summers
Sharath Srinivasan (Co-Director of the Centre of Governance and Human Rights, Cambridge University)
John O’Donoghue
Rona Forbes
Rich Bartlett
Camille Corcoran
Beatrice Prestt-Thomson
Sasha Abrahams
Joseph Cripps
Cyrus Yazdanpanah
Josie Naughton (Founder, Choose Love)
Patrick Lee
Kevin Gitsham
Noah Rouse
Santiago Marin Martinez
Philip Garnier
Jane McRoberts
Charlie McRoberts
John McRoberts
Benjamin McRoberts
Agata Cienciala
Glyn Winchester
Nevena Balezdrova
Lauren Smith
Zara Davies
Leigh Hughes
Bernie Dolan
Helen Gurry
Elizabeth Benson
Sue Topf
Elaine Johnson
Jude Munden
Sandie Martyn
Louise Barnes
Nick Winchester
Kit Winchester
Caroline Cox
Lilyan Isaac
Rafi Turki
Peter Webster
Fiona McLeod
Wendy Wilbraham
Hero Selwood
Paula Whitbread-Roberts
Laura Snapes
Jack Xi
Kirsty Noble
Anna Retallack
Rufus Maurice
Fran Giddings
Izabela Harvey
Ellie Stacey
Emily Sorrell
Charlie Wilkins
Rona Noble
Maya Sibul
Gemma Barnett
Caitlin Noble
Jan Williams
Lynda Pollard
Brenda Stuart-White
Rev Bill Stuart-White
Josephine Mitchell
Alexandra Kutas
Osaremen Iluobe
Dee Jethwa
Caroline Lucas (ex-leader of the Green Party)
Zack Polanski (Deputy Leader of the Green Party)
Gareth Weale
Annette Stuki
Waad Al-Kateab (Filmmaker and co-founder, Action for Sama)
Hamza Al-Kateab (Doctor and co-founder, Action for Sama)
Rachael Chadwick
Vanessa Marzullo
Sally Hamling
Lisa Wilshire
Jessy Winchester
Martin Winchester
Maya Youssef (Syrian musician, ‘Queen of Qanun’)
Annemarie Bala
Catherine Bristow
Katia Cienciala
Theodosia Psihogios
Brintha Yasodaran
Sean Cavany
Emma Caroe
Nuala Cochrane
Dhruva Vashee
Julia Giacobbe
Jenny Crane
James Ball
James Batty (co-founder, One And All Aid)
Kate Thomas (co-founder Remove the Slave Trade Memorial campaign in Falmouth)
Sophie Bluestone
Tim Wilkins
Victoria Jones
Zoe Fox
Alison Stott
Joe Futak
Mael Garrec
Emmanuelle Brook
Divine Dominic
Kate Richards
Eileen Partington
Chris March
Deborah Webb
Lizzy Boyes-Hunter
Fiona Pullen
Mary Jones
Maya Bowles
Ben Bowles
Steve Bowles
Lea Hayes
Jane Jefferis
Eleanor Forsdyke
Martha Dixon
Giles Jones
Nourallah Chakroun (Founder Inspiring Women Network CIC)
Mubeen Azam
Laura-Jane Smith
Jacqie Levin
Kate Saunders
Anna Richards
Millie Chidgey
Samantha LiPuma
Hannah Suiter
Shelley Meister (co-founder One And All Aid)
Joanna Barclay
Angus Clark - CEO Herts for Refugees
Sus Jacquemier
Alex Taylor
Lara Parizotto
Judith Simmonds
Ella Demosthenous
Ben Pisacane
Thalia Lichtenstein
Mia Powell
Annie Morrison
Carol Stewart
Tim Brighton
Liam Howes
Imi Bharucha
Kirsten Shanks
Cary’s Boughton
Jesse Kay
Fred posséder
Alex fish
Anna Le Bas
India Da Rocha
Niamh Smith
Tadhg wossner
Alex Blomeley
Kelpie Hazel
James C
Anna Gillett
Pippa Wilkinson
Abigail Hubbucks
Frank Barty
Anye Lovejoy
Neil Chapman
Amy Lawrence
Tallulah Broadley
Alexandra Gray
Valerie Jeffries (Founder Member of Faversham & Villages Refugee Solidarity Group)
Emma Hughes
Kyla Goodey
Michell Rowan
Judi Goodchild
Emily rose russel
Eva Bryant
Elliot Mccluskey
Hannah Jones
Jan Malcolm
Kath Morgan
Lydia Stott
Karl Handy
Levke Fiekas (Refugee Women’s Centre)
Lisa Fischer
Magdalena Rassmann
Clara Glyn
Zoë Garbett (Green Party Councillor)
Ella Hatch
Melinda Balatoni
Jenn McKee
Daisy Brown
Poppy Brown
Andrew Long
Josh Hawkins
Kumiko Matsuoka
Nathan Harrigan
Siobhan Hancock
Meg Shepherd-Foster
Taylor Fairbank (co-founder @ Distribute Aid)
Mrs Emma Ring
Simon Marshall
Alan Lloyd
Isabel Conforti
Abi Hutchinson
Niamh Kelly
Sarah Judd
Katy Jones
Fi Garrard
Diana Miners (co-founder, Truro Community Refugee Support)
Clinton Sealy (co-founder, Truro Community Refugee Support)
Juliette Bone
Clive Bacon
Judith Bacon
Jowan Nott
Ellen Monaghan
Damaris Bacon
Lucy Herriett
Daisy Booker
Anna Corsar
Thomas Niblett
Elenia Parkes
Jodie Elley
Maria Mcewan
Emily Garthland
Ashton Burden-Selvaraj
Emmanuel Anandraj Selvaraj
Matt Glass
Sheila Rubix
Daniele Pollicino
Venetia Rainger
Kealan Mcran
Neilide Griffin
Hanako Fujisawa
Rachael Swann
Michaela James
Osian Clifford
Lily Clifford
Sarah Clifford
Joe Futak
Max Williams
Theo Williams
Emilia Vassiliades
Scott Rimell
Yara Singh
Steve Simmons
Elysabeth Williams
Louis Simmons
Colin Boyle
Olivia Tomkinson
Maria McEwen