IT began with an idea for a quiet gathering in Glasgow to show solidarity for the plight of Syria’s refugees, which quickly spread around the world.
Yesterday, thousands took part in vigils for refugees across the UK, in European cities including Athens, Paris and Helsinki, and globally as far as Brazil and Australia.
At a rally in London, newly-elected Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addressed tens of thousands of people gathered in Parliament Square, calling on the UK Government to “recognise your obligations in law” and “open your hearts and open your minds…towards supporting people who are desperate”.
He also attacked “appalling” reports from some sections of the right-wing media at the rally.
In Scotland, events were held in several towns and cities including Lerwick, Dundee and Edinburgh.
At the Glasgow Sees Syria event - which triggered the global movement - a crowd began building from early afternoon. Despite gloomy skies and rain, around 2000 people - including many families with young children - filled the city’s George Square, carrying banners bearing the message “I welcome refugees” and candles which had been lit in memory of those who have died.
The crowd was addressed by Humza Yousaf, Scotland's Minister for Europe and International Development, who said the picture of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian refugee whose body was found on a Turkish beach, had “seared into the collective consciousness of the whole world”.
“History will judge us at this moment,” he said. “There will come a time when people will look back and ask 'what did you do at this moment, what did you do at that time?'.
“I think history should look back at this moment, at all the hundreds of people here and they will see we stood on George Square on this day to say refugees are welcome here.”
He also pledged that the Scottish Government would leave “no stone unturned” to look for the capacity to welcome as many refugees as possible into the country.
Amal Azzudin, one of the Glasgow Girls campaigners who brought the issue of poor treatment of asylum seekers into the spotlight a decade ago, led the crowd in a chant of “refugees are welcome here” and urged politicians globally to take action on the crisis.
“It brings me to tears to see all of you standing here today,” she said. “It says that humanity is alive, compassion is alive, empathy is alive.”
Chris Old, 32, from Glasgow, was attending the event with his wife Lauren Hislop, 29.
He said: “This is the first opportunity I have had to do something to show my support. It is nice there has been a bit of a turnaround in attitudes lately, it is welcome that there are more people thinking a bit more compassionately about refugees.”
Michele Smith, 38, also Glasgow, who brought her children Rowen, 8 and Diarmud, 5, to the vigil, said she had been profoundly affected by the images of the refugee crisis in the media - particularly the shocking picture of Aylan Kurdi.
She said: “I had been aware of the issue for a while, but some of the rhetoric coming from the UK government is really affecting me as well – some of the language being used and the sense of apathy.
“I also felt it was important for my kids as well, to make them aware of the issue in a not too heavy way.
“I say to them there is a place that is so destroyed by war that their mums and dads have to travel half-way across the world to get a better life for them, so they understand what it means.”
Rob McDowall, 30, who was in George Square with his partner Ryan Veeramootoo, 22, both from Glasgow, said: “We were interested in showing solidarity and showing that Glasgow is a welcoming place for refugees.
“We always have had a reputation for being a welcoming city – I think we have all been appalled by what has been going on and it is just to show people we are welcoming.
"It is great to see so many people out and I know there are people from a variety of social and political backgrounds. This is something which is really outside of the normal politics and it is really heartening to see so many people here."
His mother Margaret McDowall, who is from Greenock, added: “It was not really an issue I knew much about before but the picture (of Aylan Kurdi) just brought it home - it struck a chord with everyone.”
The vigil, which lasted into the evening, also included poetry, a minute’s silence and a performance from a children’s choir.
Organiser Alexis Stearns, who initially started the event by inviting some family and friends, said: “I honestly thought I would be standing in George Square with a candle and 15 of my friends.
“People are desperate to make a stand and I think the response has shown that – there are events happening all over Britain and Europe and as far as Rio de Janeiro.
“People want to say we see what is happening and we are not going to ignore it anymore.”
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