Young Christians respond to Tommy Robinson with Jesus in refugee dinghy at St Paul's

Image: Martin at CFAWB

Source: Christians For a Welcoming Britain

On Saturday morning, a group of young Christians staged a creative demonstration in front of St Paul's Cathedral, depicting Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus in a contemporary refugee setting - in an orange dinghy and life jackets. Banners held at the event read: 'Jesus was a refugee' and 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me'.

The demonstration took place on the morning of the Unite The Kingdom carol service at Downing Street, organised by Tommy Robinson in an effort to recruit Christians, through the tag line "put Christ back into Christmas".

The Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams was unable to be at the demonstration in front of St Paul's Cathedral, but said in a statement: "The Christ of the first Christmas is a child born far from his parents' home because of decisions made by a distant imperial power.

"He is a child who has to flee to a foreign country with his family in the wake of a massacre.

"He is a child who has to grow up under the daily threat of violence in a landscape where the evidence of atrocities is all around.

"He is a child who grows up to offer his life so that dividing walls of hostility between different communities -and between humanity itself and the love of God - can be broken down in a new togetherness.

"Are we ready to put this Christ back into Christmas today?"

The St Paul's event was organised by Better Story, a young adult movement, and Christians for a Welcoming Britain - two grassroots groups that have emerged in response to the rise of Christian nationalism.

Tommy Sharpe, from Better Story, was part of the demonstration. He said: "There is no room for exclusion this Advent. This demonstration sets out to show that Jesus unites us all, regardless of age, gender, nationality or background.

"Whether you are a refugee fleeing persecution, someone struggling with housing worries, or a parent worrying about providing for their children. This story of a vulnerable family speaks to us all.

"The demonstration aims to offer a different narrative to the growing rise of Christian nationalism and instead to highlight the advent story as one that unites all people facing hardship, regardless of their nationality."

Fergus Burnett, a church intern from London who was part of the demonstration said: "As a young person, I feel the weight of an uncertain future. Political turmoil and economic uncertainty makes it tempting to give in to hopelessness. My Christian faith empowers me to resist this temptation and, following in Jesus' footsteps, to work for the transformation of the world through acts of hopeful love.

"I find it so painful to see Christianity tied to ideologies of exclusion that feed on and exacerbate hopelessness - when this happens, the hopeful heart of the Christian faith is ripped out."

Earlier in the morning - the first event in response to the Tommy Robinson demo was a living Nativity outside St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square. See: Jesus was a Refugee - Living Nativity in Trafalgar Square

Christians of all denominations, gathered with Jewish and Muslim for groups outside Parliament for several more peaceful vigils throughout the day.