Deportation notices for Paddington Bear have been put up by staff on internal Home Office noticeboards in protest of refugees being deported to Rwanda.
The notices say the fictional bear is wanted for a pending relocation flight to Rwanda and add that he arrived illegally in the UK via boat and without a visa.
The posters are a part of a campaign by internal Home Office staff who are speaking out against the government’s new refugee policies, including deporting refugees to Rwanda.
The group of staff, who go by ‘Our Home Office’ on Twitter, say they are doing this in protest of what they describe as a “barbaric” proposal.
Speaking to The Guardian, an organiser of the group said: “The announcement of the Rwanda transportation plan was really a significant moment for a lot of staff members who were quite shocked by how barbaric a proposal it is, particularly the way that it seems to be against the refugee convention and the principles that we are trying to uphold of giving people fair treatment.
“No one expects working in the Home Office to be easy but this has pushed a lot of people over the edge,” they added.
The official-looking notices depict Paddington Bear and describe identifying details such as his red hat, blue coat and fur along with distinctive behaviours such as eating marmalade sandwiches.
They say the bear arrived in the UK via a “clandestine irregular route, using a small boat” and also make reference to Paddington’s appearance in a skit with Queen Elizabeth II for her platinum jubilee.
They add that Paddington “may have infiltrated important establishment networks including Buckingham Palace”, accompanied with an image of the Queen sharing tea with the bear, as depicted in the skit.
The notices are amongst others that have been placed around internal offices, such as ‘Refugee Welcome’ stickers and those rewording Home Office mission statements.
One notice reads: “Courageous: We have the spine to say ‘no, minister’. No to hostile environments, no to shutting down democracy, no to racist deportations.”
In a statement, a Home Office spokesperson said: “Thousands of civil servants work tirelessly every day on priorities that matter to the British people, and the Home Office has worked hard to be as constructive and open with staff on our policies.
“We urge all civil servants to use the mechanisms available to them to provide feedback. It is disappointing some staff are taking action that is detrimental to the department and we will take action where necessary.”
