United Kingdom, Australia and Japan were the scene of protests against immigrants and asylum policies. The acts brought together thousands of people and expose a scenario of growing popular dissatisfaction with how the governments of these countries are dealing with migratory flow.
In the United Kingdom, this Sunday (31), according to the network BBCHundreds of people focused on the city of Falkirk, Scotland, against the Cladhan Hotel, used to house asylum applicants, with posters that displayed messages such as stop the boats (“Stop the boats”). One of the leaders said, according to the BBCthat the media and local authorities were trying to associate the act with extremist groups.
“We are described as Nazis and racists. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. On the same day, about 120 people participated in another protest against immigrants in the Scottish city of Aberdeen, also in front of a hotel intended for asylums.
In Australia, also this Sunday, thousands marched in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities in protests organized by the movement known as March for Australia. The group required the end of mass immigration. One of the participants, Glenn Allchin, said, according to the agency Reutersthat Australia is “reaching the limit” and the government continues to “bring more and more people.”
“Our children are having difficulty getting homes, our hospitals – we have to wait seven hours – our roads, the lack of roads,” he said.
In Japan, on Monday (1st), protests were recorded in Tokyo and Osaka against the so-called “African Cities” initiative, presented by the International Cooperation Agency (Jica) during the International Tokyo Conference on the development of Africa last week. The project designated four Japanese cities as partners of African countries – Kisarazu (Nigeria), Sanjo (Ghana), Nagai (Tanzania) and Imabari (Mozambique) – focusing on cultural cooperation and educational programs.
The measure, however, has been targeted comments that viralized on social networks and in African press vehicles, with allegations that the agreement would include, in addition to cultural exchange, special visas and migratory facilities for Africans to move to Japan.
Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe, one of the cities participating in the program, denied this version. Japanese government chief secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also denied this measure, stating that “there is no intention to promote immigration or issue special visas to partner countries, as some information suggested. This allegations are not based on facts.”
Despite the explanations, the municipalities involved reported thousands of calls and protest messages against the project. On the streets, during Monday, protesters displayed posters asking for “end of mass immigration” and defending the need to “protect the Japanese people.”
