Tales from the Hostile Environment

Members of our Actors for Human Rights network are mobilising across England and will present staged readings of this script in several locations during the week before election day.

“The way they look at you as like second class citizens. The way you’re seen as someone who just wants to come and destroy the country”

A general election looms, which inevitably means a renewed demonisation of immigrants living here.

When ice&fire was founded in 2003, the rhetoric was similar and the environment for many immigrants was hostile in practice if not in name. Since then, policies and laws affecting immigrants and those who love them, work with them, and rely upon them have become increasingly punitive.

Many immigrants living here do not have the right to vote in this election. With this new script, a curated collection of first-hand testimonies we have collected over 20 years from people impacted by these policies and laws, we invite you to listen and consider these voices during this election cycle and beyond.

“It’s only the people who wear those shoes who feel it. People need to stop judging. People have migrated forever.”

Members of our Actors for Human Rights network are mobilising across England and will present staged readings of this script in several locations during the week before election day. Details in the right panel.

“They are squeezing every single penny out of you and then looking you in the eye and saying ‘can you still survive this? Do you still want to stay?’ They make you feel like you will never fit in.”

Whatever government is in power after July 4, the struggle to dismantle the Hostile Environment so immigrants can live without fear of discrimination or criminalisation must continue.

PUT ON YOUR OWN READING

If your town or city is not on the list above and you want to get involved, we’re making this script ‘open access’ so you can organise your own reading. It can be for your family and friends, for your fellow students or workmates, or for 1000 people, it’s up to you! Get in touch by emailing Christine at [email protected] if you’re interested in doing this and we’ll send you the script and some tips about how to make it an effective event.