Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: beano, cartoonists, chris riddell, Guy Venables, phoenix, private eye, quentin blake, Ralph Steadman, Robert Jenrick, Small Boats Week, terry gilliam, viz
British Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has faced criticism for his decision to remove cartoon murals from children’s asylum centers.
Great Britain is currently experiencing a self-inflicted crisis. Immigration has been a sensitive topic for politicians, and the routes for claiming asylum in the UK have been significantly reduced. As a result, many individuals with ties to the UK seek asylum by crossing the English Channel in small boats from France, often with the help of smugglers. Yesterday, over 500 people made this perilous journey, and tragically, six lost their lives. The government’s plan to house asylum seekers in offshore boats was derailed when the first boat, Bibby Stockholm, intended to accommodate 500 individuals, had to be evacuated due to the presence of legionella bacteria in the water supply. Years of funding cuts have led to an 18-month backlog in processing asylum cases, forcing refugees to be housed in hotels and other accommodations without the ability to work until their cases are heard. This situation has caused resentment in the areas where they are housed. The current government’s focus is on “stopping the boats,” without providing safer alternatives for individuals to make their asylum claims. This enforcement of less welcoming policies puts vulnerable individuals at further risk.
Against this backdrop of a flawed system, British Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick’s decision to order the removal of cartoon murals from Dover’s Kent asylum intake unit has sparked outrage. These murals, featuring Disney and Pixar characters, were seen as a welcoming gesture to unaccompanied child asylum seekers. Jenrick’s decision, defended on the grounds that there were few infants present, has been called “mean” even by those who generally support stricter immigration laws. Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock deemed it “utterly absurd” to believe that removing the murals and entertainment for children in immigration centers would somehow halt the boat crossings.
Although the plans to replace the murals were shelved, artists across the country are uniting to create a coloring book of cartoons, organized by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation. This coloring book will be distributed to the children for free, showcasing more welcoming aspects of British culture. Copies will also be sold to the public as a fundraiser for vulnerable refugee children. The Cartoon Museum in London and The Beano comic have expressed their support, with cartoonist Guy Venables of Metro, Private Eye, and The Spectator taking the lead. The response to the coloring book initiative has been overwhelming, with contributions expected from esteemed cartoonists such as Ralph Steadman, Quentin Blake, Terry Gilliam, Chris Riddell, and more from Viz, Beano, Private Eye, and The Phoenix.
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Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
