Statement from Refugee Activists from Ohlauer School

We are here to fight for our human rights.

Here in the school the politicians try to isolate us – no visitors, not eve lawyers, doctors, not even international activists like Angela Davis, not even our friends and supporters. Shame on them!

The politicians in Berlin try to kick us out and stop our struggle – but we continue to fight for our rights

We are fighting as part of the refugee protest movement.

We had the march to Berlin, and the the protest camp at Oranienplatz for 2 years.

We had the March for Freedom from Strasbourg to Brussels.

Some politically active refugees paid a high price for fighting for human rights and were in prison too – but we do believe that the struggle is worth it!

Some of us protested on the roof for nine days last summer when the politicians tried to throw us out of this former school, where we live and where we continue the struggle. Now they try again, but we do not give up!

We are fighting for freedom of movement, to be able to live and work and study here.

We are fighting against racism and against criminalisation.

We are fighting to be recognized as equal human beings.

We are fighting against police violence.

We are fighting for a better, fairer refugee policy, in Germany, in Europe and in the world.

Here in the Gerhart Hauptmann Schule we are fighting specifically to make an International Refugee Centre, for all refugees.

To come together

To share information about the struggle and about human rights

To help refugees solve practical problems

To empower ourselves to struggle for our human rights.

As black refugees here we don’t feel welcome

people say “refugees are welcome” but we do not feel it,

we do not see it in practical things,

we do not feel that most German people welcome us with their hearts.

We are here and we will fight

Freedom of movement is everybody’s right.