Call – Never stop resisting! Refugee Struggle in Hamburg and Dortmund

Manifestation on 25th April, 6:00pm at Kirchplatz, Münsterstraße in Dortmund

All over Germany refugees self-organize to protest against the the unacceptabilities of the migration and asylum regime. They fight for their right to stay, for freedom of movement and equal rights. Central themes like the insupportable conditions in refugee camps or the experiences of social exclusion and racism -which they experience every day on the streets and with the authorities- are made to the subject of discussion.  Therefore the restrictive asylum and resident policies get into focus. In doing so they get support by antiracist activists and groups, which declare their solidarity with the demands of refugees and see the necessitiy of joint fights, and unite to form local alliances. For two years the group „Lampedusa in Hamburg“ fights for the right to stay for refugees, which came from Lampedusa over Italy to Germany, and the approval of their italian papers and work permits. They self-organize in the local alliance of „Rights to the city – Never mind the papers“, which fights for freedom of movement, self-determination, living space and against racism. In january the alliance organized a demonstration with up to 8.000 people.

Also in Dortmund there are first approaches of selforganizing refugees. In the beginning of 2015 refugees from the camp in the Brügmannhallen delivered an open letter to the city of Dortmund, to call attention to the bad conditions in the camp. They claimed the closure of the camp. Although it is closed by now, the accommodation in emergency shelters like container villages on the outskirts of Dortmund still continues. Some of the refugees found an apartment, but there is more to it – it’s about the right to stay, to live a self-determined life without harassments, discrimination, casualization, oppression and the constant fear of deportation!

Together we want to take the struggles and fights of refugees into public and set a counter-position to the racist developments in Germany. We invite refugees and activists from Hamburg and Dortmund to talk about their experiences of their fights for the right to stay and a self-determined life. The protests need a broad support, if we want to oppose the grueling asylum policy. An active solidarity with refugees and the perspective of political organization and fighting together can be the only respond to racist diatribes from neonazis, so called enraged citizen and racists. Wether in Dortmund, Hamburg or elsewere – we will never stop resisting!

Come to the manifestation on 25th April, 6:00pm at Kirchplatz, Münsterstraße in Dortmund. There will be speeches from refugees and supporters, videos of the fights for the right to stay in Hamburg, a photo exhibition, live music and many more!

Refugees Welcome Dortmund, April 2015