Why do we continue to give the impression refugees are unwelcome here?

These are some of the comments left at our Amnesty International stall on June 26 during Refugee Week:

"I support rights for refugees";

"It is the decent, moral thing to do. Refugees are a wealth for us";

"People should be treated with respect. Cultural diversity benefits us all. Who knows when they will become a refugee themselves?

Stability is not guaranteed anywhere";

"Britain has a long tradition of giving asylum to refugees";

"I have friends who were tortured or killed in Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein";

"We should all have rights as members of the human family. What happens to others in the world could also happen to you";

"Asylum is a basic human right and we should respect and care for any refugee as a human being".

-Sue Williams, Amnesty International, Brighton and Hove Group