On 6th October Oxford City Council passed a motion to support Oxford in its bid to become a ‘City of Sanctuary.’

The motion, which was proposed by Cllr John Tanner of the Labour Party and seconded by Sushila Dhall of the Green Party, calls on Oxford City Council to practically support efforts to make Oxford a place of safety for people whose lives have been threatened and to celebrate the contributions that asylum seekers and refugees make to society.

Cllr John Tanner, said: “I am very pleased that Oxford City Council has declared its support for the City of Sanctuary movement. We should remember the likes of Bobby Fryer, a Jewish refugee who was a Trade Union leader at the Cowley car plant and Professor Claus Moser, who was forced to leave Berlin in 1936.

“Where would we be without the valuable contributions that asylum seekers and refugees have made within our towns and cities and indeed within Oxford? We are delighted by the result of this motion and what it means for us as a city.”

Amy Merone, a member of the working group in Oxford, said: “Oxford as an international city has always welcomed people from all over the world and we would like to see that welcome extended fully to people who have been forced to leave their home countries and seek sanctuary in the UK.

“We believe that City of Sanctuary is a way in which the people of Oxford can practically demonstrate their commitment to being a city of welcome and to the upholding of people’s human rights. There has never been a more important time as now for this with the presence of Campsfield Removal Centre and the proposed centre In Bicester.”