On October 17, the new Brandenburg state parliament will be constituted – a state parliament that has never been filled with more right-wing and fascist forces. The AfD has won a third of the seats – a party that does not hide its nationalist politics or its plans to deport all immigrant citizens. With the BSW, yet another populist party that divides people on the basis of racist positions has entered the state parliament. While SPD-Minister-President Woidke presents himself as the winner over right-wing forces, he and his coalition partners, the CDU and the Greens, have been instrumental in promoting inhuman migration policies in Brandenburg.
A huge deportation centre has been planned at BER since 2018. Moreover, another facility for housing people that are to be deported is due to open in Märkisch-Oderland next year. Most recently, Minister-President Woidke called for an expansion of the federal government’s so-called ‘deportation offensive’, illegally refusing refugees at the Polish border, an expansion of the list of so-called ‘safe countries of origin’ and deportations to Syria, Afghanistan and Russia.
These plans are an attack on all those fleeing war, poverty and persecution. They are part of an increasingly restrictive asylum policy that is not only taking place at state level – the EU and the German government are constantly expanding Fortress Europe. Since the political instrumentalization of the attack in Solingen, political parties have been competing to rally against and criminalize refugees and immigrants. Refugee shelters are set on fire, immigrants and refugees are attacked and people seeking protection are brutally turned back at the borders.
But not with us! The initiative ‘Stop deportation centre BER’ initiative is calling for a rally to make it clear: We are against new deportation centres – in Brandenburg and everywhere else! We will be loud against deportations, isolation and fascism! We stand up for a Brandenburg of solidarity and freedom of movement for all!
Come to the Brandenburg state parliament (Fortunaportal, Am Alten Markt, 14467 Potsdam) on Thu, October 17 at 8.30 am!