Campaigners took to the sands of Tynemouth to fill the skies in protest against the 'cruel' Government's plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Tynemouth Together with Refugees is part of a national coalition with Together With Refugees, and on Friday the group set upon King Edward's Bay to hold a demonstration against the government’s controversial policy.
Up to 50 people turned out to create heart shaped orange paper airplanes, and wrote messages on them on about how they feel regarding the measures before launching them into the sky in unison.
Read more: Newcastle protesters brand Government's failed attempt to send asylum seekers to Rwanda a success
After the demonstration took place, the messages were then collected by organisers and will be sent to Prime Minister Liz Truss to show people's true feelings about the 'cruel and inhumane' acts of exporting asylum seekers from the UK to Africa.
Penny Henry, Tynemouth Together with Refugees spokesperson, said: "I'm a member of a group known as Tynemouth Together with Refugees and we're part of a sort of national coalition called Together with Refugees - who have been together for around just over a year. Basically they were campaigning and getting groups around the country to campaign against the Nationality and Orders Bill which went through in March or early April.
"We've held events across the coast - there's a group of us who have been holding events to raise public awareness to the Government's legislation which you know, turns out to be quite shocking.
"The latest event that we held was obviously on Friday - it was the launch of an event which is a series of events which are going to go on until the 9th of October, and it's in opposition to the flights to Rwanda. The Government signed an agreement on the 14th of April with the Rwandan government, to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda.
"The days was called fill the skies with hope, so we made orange heart-shaped paper planes, which we asked people to write messages to their MP on - and then they would get sent to the Prime Minister. Basically messages to say how appalling this was to outsource people who are seeking asylum here.
"They get sent to Rwanda, it's a one-way flight and there's no way they can come back here."
She added: “The plan to send refugees to Rwanda is both cruel and inhumane. The government is turning its back on the UK’s responsibility to give protection to people fleeing war and persecution.
"We can’t stand by and not let our voices be heard."
As well as the event at King Edward's Bay, further nationwide campaigns also took place across the span of the weekend in the likes of London, Bristol, Birmingham and Nottingham - with further events in Brecon, Wales.
And the nationwide campaign has even been supported by the highest figureheads across the North East, who wholeheartedly support Tynemouth Together's movement for change. Norma Redfearn, Elected Mayor of North Tyneside, added: “ I support the Together with Refugees campaign and strongly oppose the policy to send refugees to Rwanda.”
In April, Boris Johnson initially announced the plans to fly people seeking safety in Britain over 6,000 miles to Central Africa - forcing them to claim asylum without an option to return to the UK. His words back then sparked widespread condemnation of the scheme, which charities estimated would cost the UK £1.4bn
It was subsequently criticised by refugee groups as a “cruel" decision that will fail to address the issue and “lead to more human suffering and chaos”. Their concerns were echoed in the North East and groups are urging new Prime Minister Liz Truss to reverse the move.
In response to the national protests, a Government spokesperson, said: “The global migration crisis needs innovative solutions, and our world-leading Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda is a key part of our plans to fix the broken asylum system.
“The partnership will see people arriving dangerously, illegally and unnecessarily into the UK relocated to Rwanda where they will have the opportunity to rebuild their lives.”
Read next:
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Rwanda plan to deport asylum seekers faces more legal challenges ahead of first flight
Why are some asylum seekers being sent to Rwanda from the UK and how many people might go?
