It is hard to take the claims that this is a Christian country seriously when you look at the way we treat those who are seeking asylum here, or indeed other migrants who are here. With the recent news frenzies about Tony Blair becoming a Catholic my thoughts were that he should be spending some awfully long and difficult sessions in the confessional, and his policies towards the asylum seekers would be one of many difficult items. And surely that father in the manse that Mr Brown likes to parade should be screaming "Gordon, Read your effing Bible!"

So it’s a matter of some regret that I have to announce that neither Canterbury or Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor have yet put in an appearance at the regular monthly protests outside Communications House, just around the corner from Old Street in London, held on the first Tuesday of every month from 1-2pm (perhaps if they have their diaries handy, they, like you, might make a note of it.)

Communications House is one of the centres to which asylum seekers have to make their regular reports, knowing when they enter that these may be their last steps as free persons on British soil, and they may emerge in the back of a van on their way to a detention centre, awaiting a flight back to possible imprisonment and torture in their country of origin.

Some of those who took leaflets and stopped to talk to the demonstrators were themselves refugees. But few of the others who walked past (except the workers from Communications House) were aware of what was going on in this rather anonymous building, and some were clearly appalled when told.

These regular protests are organised by London Fight Racism!, Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) but others are welcome to come and to use the open mike. Announcements of them are posted on Indymedia by London FRFI.

A few more pictures on MyLondonDiary,  http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2008/01/jan.htm#asylum