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Birmingham should become a City of Sanctuary for refugees, was the message from more than 300 people who gathered in front of the town hall.

Huge crowds gathered at a rally in Victoria Square organised by Birmingham Stand up to Racism and other left wing group called for Britain to accept more displaced people.

Councillor Wassem Zaffar, due to visit Calais on Friday, was among the speakers in Victoria Square who took issue with the Prime Minister’s policies.

He said: “I hear that the Prime Minister of our great country David Cameron wants to welcome 20,000 refugees in the next five years. When you look at some countries across western Europe and look at the leadership they have shown, particularly Germany who have welcomed 10,000 in a day, I say shame on you Cameron.”

The Birmingham Mail and Sunday Mercury are backing a campaign for Birmingham to become a City of Sanctuary for refugees, in keeping with its diverse past.

Harun Mohammed, 18, helped make signs for the rally. He said: “David Cameron is acknowledging only 20,000 refugees, that’s a joke.

“What have the refugees been doing wrong? There are children who have been orphaned or don’t know where their parents are. Germany has an open door policy and we should too.”

Joshua Williams, the reigning Mr Birmingham, was at the rally with Miss Black Country runner-up Raven Dixon-Biggs. They both expressed dismay at xenophobic and sometimes racist comments left on social networking sites regarding migrants and refugees.

Joshua, 17, said: “It’s an absolute disgrace the way refugees are being dehumanised by people who want to deny any responsibility for their suffering.

“Some of the things I have seen written on Facebook are absolutely awful. The refugees have no choice in the face of the horrors they face, they just need to get out.”

Joshua and Raven both believe that Birmingham can set an example for the rest of the country.

Joshua, from Castle Bromwich, said: “Birmingham should be an example for the rest of the UK as a hub of diversity. The whole history of the city has been built on migration and different ethnicities coming together. Migrants contribute more to the economy than they take out.”

The rally coincided with a ‘National Day of Action’ including a larger event in London.