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Racial justice and religious groups call for protests against ‘racist’ Nationality and Borders Bill

RACIAL justice and religious groups have called a London demonstration against the Nationality and Borders Bill, which they have condemned as racist, as it moves to the House of Lords on Thursday. 

A coalition of 18 civil society groups, including Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (Barac), Finsbury Park Mosque and the Association of Muslim lawyers, warn that a provision to expand deprivation of citizenship powers could “impact many of us with a parent born overseas.” 

If passed, the Bill would give Home Secretary Priti Patel powers to strip someone’s citizenship without notice or right to appeal.

Protest organiser and Barac chair Zita Holbourne told the Morning Star that the power was an extension of the “racist targeting of black and brown people” seen during the Windrush scandal.

“The Bill impacts on refugees seeking asylum, but also those like the Windrush generation, who have been in the UK their whole lives,” she said.

In a statement ahead of the demo, the groups wrote: “We believe this Bill is racist and wholly intended to discriminate based not only on race, but upon the vulnerabilities of many who fear persecution.”

The protest will be held at 11.30am on Thursday at Old Palace Yard, Westminster, to coincide with the first day of the Bill’s committee stage in the House of Lords. 

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