'Chained-up children' join city demo

10:20am Friday 19th October 2012 in News

Oxford Community Against Trafficking mark European Union Anti-Trafficking Day and UK Anti-Slavery Day Oxford Community Against Trafficking mark European Union Anti-Trafficking Day and UK Anti-Slavery Day

CHAINED-UP and screaming, children were led through Oxford city centre yesterday as part of a demonstration against human trafficking.

More than 40 youngsters were taken up High Street, through Cornmarket, and into Broad Street where a mock slave auction was held in front of astonished shoppers.

The teenagers, from St Gregory the Great and St Edward’s schools, were led by a ‘child catcher’ based on the character from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Oxford Community Against Trafficking organised the piece of street theatre to raise awareness on UK Anti-Slavery and EU Anti-Trafficking Day.

Clarice Julianda, 16, a pupil at Cricket Road’s St Gregory the Great, said: “Hopefully it has made people aware that human trafficking happens everywhere.”

She said she was surprised to hear trafficking had happened in the city, adding: “It was quite a big shock, but it could happen anywhere.”

Josh Battaliou, 17, a drama student at St Edward’s School in Woodstock Road, added: “Oxford is an area where you wouldn’t expect it to happen, but it does occur.”

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Comments (7)

10:28am Fri 19 Oct 12

GRB says...

Yeah great idea.
Yeah great idea. GRB

11:16am Fri 19 Oct 12

iklhik says...

Shame I missed the auction. When will the next one be?
Shame I missed the auction. When will the next one be? iklhik

11:32am Fri 19 Oct 12

Lord Palmerstone says...

Wow yes. that'll have shocked all those African and Asian governments into action , won't it?
Bit like the Campaign for Unilateral Disarmament never going to Moscow and Peking in the 60's this lot of lefties like their comfort. Don't hold your breath waiting for them to pop up at Riyadh Airport (to give but one example)
Wow yes. that'll have shocked all those African and Asian governments into action , won't it? Bit like the Campaign for Unilateral Disarmament never going to Moscow and Peking in the 60's this lot of lefties like their comfort. Don't hold your breath waiting for them to pop up at Riyadh Airport (to give but one example) Lord Palmerstone

12:17pm Fri 19 Oct 12

eatmygoal says...

Lord Palmerstone wrote:
Wow yes. that'll have shocked all those African and Asian governments into action , won't it?
Bit like the Campaign for Unilateral Disarmament never going to Moscow and Peking in the 60's this lot of lefties like their comfort. Don't hold your breath waiting for them to pop up at Riyadh Airport (to give but one example)
Except that is not what they were trying to do. They were trying to raise awareness among the public here.
As it says in the article 'Oxford Community Against Trafficking organised the piece of street theatre to raise awareness on UK Anti-Slavery and EU Anti-Trafficking Day.'
[quote][p][bold]Lord Palmerstone[/bold] wrote: Wow yes. that'll have shocked all those African and Asian governments into action , won't it? Bit like the Campaign for Unilateral Disarmament never going to Moscow and Peking in the 60's this lot of lefties like their comfort. Don't hold your breath waiting for them to pop up at Riyadh Airport (to give but one example)[/p][/quote]Except that is not what they were trying to do. They were trying to raise awareness among the public here. As it says in the article 'Oxford Community Against Trafficking organised the piece of street theatre to raise awareness on UK Anti-Slavery and EU Anti-Trafficking Day.' eatmygoal

1:02pm Fri 19 Oct 12

Lord Palmerstone says...

And the point of raising awareness is? Since the good folk quoted in this piece are extremely unlikely to frequent the establishments that would be involved, and since those who do frequent them are clearly totally indifferent, the whole exercise is a rather self-satisfied one, is it not?
And the point of raising awareness is? Since the good folk quoted in this piece are extremely unlikely to frequent the establishments that would be involved, and since those who do frequent them are clearly totally indifferent, the whole exercise is a rather self-satisfied one, is it not? Lord Palmerstone

5:27pm Fri 19 Oct 12

JanetJ says...

Lucky they didn't get knocked over by pedal cycles
Lucky they didn't get knocked over by pedal cycles JanetJ

10:05am Mon 22 Oct 12

EastOxfordite says...

Lord Palmerstone wrote:
And the point of raising awareness is? Since the good folk quoted in this piece are extremely unlikely to frequent the establishments that would be involved, and since those who do frequent them are clearly totally indifferent, the whole exercise is a rather self-satisfied one, is it not?
It is not purely about the sex industry.

Trafficking can involve men, women and children being dragged into forced labour, begging, benefit fraud and slavery.

And with regard to the comment about punters being 'indifferent' - this man speaking out was key in the Papas and Cochrane case:
http://www.oxfordmai
l.co.uk/news/opinion
/comment/8709149.COM
MENT__Praise_for_spe
aking_out/
[quote][p][bold]Lord Palmerstone[/bold] wrote: And the point of raising awareness is? Since the good folk quoted in this piece are extremely unlikely to frequent the establishments that would be involved, and since those who do frequent them are clearly totally indifferent, the whole exercise is a rather self-satisfied one, is it not?[/p][/quote]It is not purely about the sex industry. Trafficking can involve men, women and children being dragged into forced labour, begging, benefit fraud and slavery. And with regard to the comment about punters being 'indifferent' - this man speaking out was key in the Papas and Cochrane case: http://www.oxfordmai l.co.uk/news/opinion /comment/8709149.COM MENT__Praise_for_spe aking_out/ EastOxfordite

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