Harmondsworth 5th May

See also new video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow8MaauT13c

Events so far @ Wednesday 7 May 2PM.

On Friday (2 May) over 150 detainees in Harmondsworth migration prison occupied the main courtyard in a sit down protest and began a mass hunger strike. On Monday (5 May) supporters held solidarity noise demos outside Harmondsworth and simultaneously at Dungavel (Scotland). Yesterday evening (Tuesday 6 May) protests started to spread to Colnbrook and Brook House migration prisons.

At lunchtime on Friday 2 May over 150 people detained in Harmondsworth, the UK’s largest migration prison run by corporation GEO group for the Home Office, staged a sit-down occupation of the main courtyard and began hunger strike. They issued a set of demands (see below) protesting against the ‘Fast Track’ system, under which refugees seeking asylum are immediately imprisoned before their claims are even heard, as well as further mistreatment in detention.

The protestors stayed in the courtyard until the evening, when the Home Office sent 3 officials to meet with delegates of the protestors. The officials took a petition signed by all of the protestors, and said they would reply to the demands on Tuesday 6 May. The detainees decided to suspend their hunger strike while they waited for the response.

On Monday (5 May) solidarity noise demos took place at Harmondsworth and also at Dungavel detention centre in Scotland. At Harmondsworth, over 30 people made lots of noise with pots, pans, drums, whistles, etc. to let the detainees know they are not alone. The people locked inside waved and held up signs to the windows with messages such as ‘Unlawful Detention’ and ‘No Healthcare’. There was also contact over the phone, and the prisoners said they were really glad of the support.

No big surprise, the Home Office broke its promise and still (1.30 PM Wednesday 7 May) hasn’t given any reply to the protestors. Instead they have moved rapidly to issue deportation tickets to several dozen people involved in the protest.

However, yesterday (Tuesday 6 may) the unrest began to spread. In Colnbrook detention centre, built right next to Harmondsworth, guards broke up an organising meeting of 40 detainees inside Colnbrook yesterday and put five “ringleaders” in isolation cells, before moving them to another secure facility. Supporters have since been unable to contact the men.

Then at 10pm last night a group of 20 men detained at Brook House IRC near Gatwick staged a protest in the courtyard and refused to return to their cells.

The prisoners have been particularly asking for us to help spread their words and voices as widely as possible beyond the prison walls. They face a tough struggle ahead, and need our active solidarity.

AGAINST ALL BORDERS AND PRISONS!

***

For further updates check:

https://network23.org/antiraids
twitter: @antiraids

http://unitycentreglasgow.org
twitter: @UnityCentreGlas

Journalists please contact: Unity Centre on 0141 427766 OR 07448 617766. They can redirect journalists to detainees who want to speak to the press.

***

Here is the statement signed by all the protesting detainees on Friday 2 May and handed to the prison authorities:

As to resolve the following issues:

* Home Office fast track system [NB: system in which refugees are immediately detained whilst their asylum claims are processed]

* Healthcare in the detention centre

* Detainees are awaiting to travel to their home countries for months, without any response from the home office, when have agreed to voluntary return. One person has been waiting for 17 months.

* People who were transferred from other centres on a promise for interview or high commission face to face interviews are still waiting to send back to their centre such as people from scotland are still stuck here without lawyers, guests.

* we are not getting enough legal help, in some cases no legal advice at all our important faxes and documents are waiting sometimes for four to five hours in the IRC office before they reach us.

* We need to resolve this face to face by the official immigration staff who record this complaint ? this petition and peaceful protest- then we will consider to withdraw this hunger strike.

We are block C and D, and also A and B about to start peaceful protest and hunger strike.

***

BACKGROUND INFO:

Some facts about Harmondsworth, one of Europe?s largest migration prisons:

http://detentionaction.org.uk/aboutus/about-harmondsworth-detention-centre

On the killing in 2012 of detainee Prince Fuso and about GEO group:

http://www.schnews.org.uk/stories/GEO-POLITICS/

An article on the Harmondsworth uprising in 2006:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/dec/13/immigration.prisonsandprobation

On the ‘Detained Fast Track’ system of imprisoning asylum seekers:

http://ncadc.org.uk/blog/detention-action-detained-fast-track-denies-access-to-justice/

http://www.righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/dft-and-nsa.html

This morning  six supporters of the Anti Raids Network met at Peckham Rye train station to distribute ‘know your rights’ bust cards in the local shops and markets.

Talking to shop keepers and market stall holders we were horrified but not surprised to hear how often they get harassed by immigration enforcement officers. Many people said that about a year ago it was so bad that they were coming to Peckham Rye up to three times a week. Almost every person we spoke to had experienced or witnessed a raid.

People told us how officers regularly come to the shops, refused to let anyone leave, force the owner to close the shutters (trapping people inside), and question everyone in the shop. Often they do not show any paperwork and they intimidate the owners into letting them in.

Our aim is to give people the information needed to avoid and resist immigration controls. Come and join us for our next distribution 29th May Green Street Market, meet at Upton Park Station 11am.

Resist the racist system!

MayDay bank holiday Monday, 5 May. 1.30PM. Harmondsworth Detention Centre, near Heathrow.

PLEASE SPREAD WIDELY.

On Friday 2 May over 150 people detained in Harmondsworth migration prison staged a sit-down occupation of the main courtyard and began hunger strike. They issued a set of demands protesting against the cruel ‘Fast Track’ system under which refugees seeking asylum are immediately imprisoned before their claims are even heard, as well as further mistreatment in detention.

The detainees have been in contact asking for our solidarity and that we help their voices be heard outside the prison walls. We will hold a solidarity demonstration on the MayDay bank holiday (Monday 5 May) outside the prison to let them know they are not alone. Please bring musical instruments and anything that makes a noise so that they can hear us through the walls.

The Home Office have met with delegates of the protestors and said that they will give answers to their demands on Tuesday 6 May. The hunger strike is suspended while detainees wait for these answers. We want to let the detainees know we are with them in solidarity, and the Home Office know that we will not let the detainees’ protest be ignored and hidden. A simultaneous demo will take place outside Dungavel detention centre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Signed:

The Unity Centre

Anti Raids Network

Stop Deportations

Right to Remain

***

For more information on the Harmondsworth protests and the protestors’ demands in full see:

https://network23.org/antiraids/2014/05/02/update-mass-hunger-strike-in-harmondsworth-detention-centre/

***

How to get to Harmondsworth:

Harmondsworth IRC, Colnbrook Bypass, Longford, West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 0HB

Train

The nearest stations are Hatton Cross, West Drayton, Uxbridge.

Trains run regularly from London Paddington to West Drayton, and the centres are a 15 minute bus journey on U3or 350.

Buses

Fastest: Bus 350 from West Drayton station – get off at Colnbrook Bypass

Bus U3 from West Drayton and Uxbridge to Hatch Lane.

Bus 81 from Hounslow West to Longford Village.

By Car

From M4 West – Exit junction 5. Take 3rd exit at roundabout onto A4 sign posted Colnbrook. Head towards London along A4 for approximately 3 miles.

Pass over motorway and continue straight ahead at the traffic lights. After the lights take the next road on the left (after a row of houses), signposted BT, and Harmondsworth IRC is the building on the left hand side.

From M4 East – Exit junction 4A onto M4 spur road towards Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3. At ‘Concorde’ roundabout take 2nd exit towards Slough onto the A4. Travel for approximately 1 mile, until you reach a set of

traffic lights, turn right at the lights and continue until you reach a roundabout. At the roundabout turn right to come back down the road you travelled and at the lights turn right to bring you back on the A4. After

the lights take the next road on the left (after a row of houses), signposted BT, and Harmondsworth IRC is the building on the left hand side.

From M25 – Exit junction 14 onto A3113 (Airport Way) towards Heathrow Terminal 4 and cargo. At next roundabout take 1st exit onto A3044 towards Colnbrook / Longford. At next roundabout continue straight ahead until you

reach as set of traffic lights. Turn right at the lights and take the next road on the left (after a row of houses), signposted BT, and Harmondsworth IRC is the building on the left hand side. Limited parking available to visitors.

Yesterday over 150 prisoners in Harmondsworth detention centre occupied the main courtyard with a sit down protest and began a hunger strike, issuing a number of demands including an end to the cruel ‘Fast Track’ asylum system (see below for full details). Eventually the Home Office agreed to negotiate and a meeting took place between delegates of the hunger strikers and three Home Office officials. The Home Office said that they will give a reply to the demands on Tuesday.

In light of this, the protestors agreed to suspend their hunger strike whilst they wait for the Home Office reply.

The detainees want to emphasise that their protest has been peaceful and they want to give the Home Office the chance to show democracy working. They continue to call for solidarity and for us to help spread their words beyond the prison walls.

***

For more information please contact The Unity Centre on 0141 427766 OR 07448 617766. We can redirect journalists to detainees.

***

Here is the statement signed by all the protesting detainees on Friday 2 May and handed to the prison authorities:

As to resolve the following issues:

* Home Office fast track system [NB: system in which refugees are immediately detained whilst their asylum claims are processed]

* Healthcare in the detention centre

* Detainees are awaiting to travel to their home countries for months, without any response from the home office, when have agreed to voluntary return. One person has been waiting for 17months.

* People who were transferred from other centres on a promise for interview or high commission face to face interviews are still waiting to send back to their centre such as people from scotland are still stuck here without lawyers, guests.

* we are not getting enough legal help, in some cases no legal advice at all our important faxes and documents are waiting sometimes for four to five hours in the IRC office before they reach us.

* We need to resolve this face to face by the official immigration staff who record this complaint – this petition and peaceful protest- then we will consider to withdraw this hunger strike.

We are block C and D, and also A and B about to start peaceful protest and hunger strike.

***

Previous reports from the Harmondsworth protest:

1) https://network23.org/antiraids/2014/05/02/protests-taking-place-now-inside-harmondsworth-detention-centre/

2) https://network23.org/antiraids/2014/05/02/update-mass-hunger-strike-in-harmondsworth-detention-centre/

***

BACKGROUND INFO:

On Harmondsworth, one of Europe’s largest migration prisons: http://detentionaction.org.uk/aboutus/about-harmondsworth-detention-centre

On the cruel ‘Detained Fast Track’ system of imprisoning asylum seekers:

http://ncadc.org.uk/blog/detention-action-detained-fast-track-denies-access-to-justice/

http://www.righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/dft-and-nsa.html

On the background to the major protests in 2006:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/dec/13/immigration.prisonsandprobation

Updates & open discussion on women and immigration control. We welcome you to join us for our evening of updates, discussion & food next Thursday.

Updates

The session will begin with updates on the fight against immigration raids across London. The session will start with updates on ‘immigration enforcement’ activities and the growing popular resistance against raids, including testimony from people that attended the raid on Tuesday with a short video. Everyone is welcome to share their experiences.

Discussion – women & immigration controls

Women suffer everyday as a result of racist immigration policies of the UK government. Community enforcement action by immigration officers target women in their work places and at home, as well as their families.  People are subjected to violence, intimidation and force from Immigration Officers. These action are often invisible to the general public as they happen behind closed doors.

Last year, women detained in Yarlswood Immigration Removal Centre reported sexual assault by guards. Meanwhile women working in domestic homes often suffer emotional, physical and sexual abuse by their ‘employers’ as they are unable to leave their work owing to restrictions on their immigration status.

The stories of women are under-represented in discourses around immigration control. It is important to open this up in our discussions and think of ways we can support women in our communities.

Please join us at the Feminist Library. 5 Westminster Bridge Road at 6.30pm on Thursday 8^th May.

Snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring something to share.

At least 150 detainees in Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre, near Heathrow, are now on mass hunger strike. The detainees have been holding a protest all day in the main courtyard of the migration prison. The protestors have all signed a statement (see below) explaining their demands and saying that they have started a hunger strike. Some are refusing water as well as food. A number of protestors who have health problems or are due to be deported imminently are also part of the protest but are eating. 100 people are still occupying the main courtyard currently (8.30 PM) but others are continuing their protest inside as night falls. One man who is part of the protest has already been on an individual hunger strike for 67 days and is now extremely weak.

The detainees are asking for all help possible to get their message outside to the world. The prison authorities have now shut off email and fax access, but currently we still have phone contact with some detainees.

Here is the petition signed by the detainees and handed to the prison authorities:

As to resolve the following issues

* Home Office fast track system [NB: system in which refugees are immediately detained whilst their asylum claims are processed]

* Healthcare in the detention centre

* Detainees are awaiting to travel to their home countries for months, without any response from the home office, when have agreed to voluntary return. One person has been waiting for 17months.

* People who were transferred from other centres on a promise for interview or high commission face to face interviews are still waiting to send back to their centre such as people from scotland are still stuck here without lawyers, guests.

* we are not getting enough legal help, in some cases no legal advice at all our important faxes and documents are waiting sometimes for four to five hours in the IRC office before they reach us.

* We need to resolve this face to face by the official immigration staff who record this complaint – this petition and peaceful protest- then we will consider to withdraw this hunger strike.

We are block C and D, and also A and B about to start peaceful protest and hunger strike.

***

For more information please contact The Unity Centre on 0141 427766 OR 07448 617766. We can redirect journalists to detainees.

***

BACKGROUND INFO

On Harmondsworth, one of Europe’s largest migration prisons: http://detentionaction.org.uk/aboutus/about-harmondsworth-detention-centre

On the cruel ‘Detained Fast Track’ system of imprisoning asylum seekers: http://ncadc.org.uk/blog/detention-action-detained-fast-track-denies-access-to-justice/

http://www.righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/dft-and-nsa.html

On the background to the major protests in 2006: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/dec/13/immigration.prisonsandprobation

We received the following information from friends of Anti Raids, today 2 May 2014. For further information, contact the number below.

Presently there is a peaceful protest taking place in one of the courtyards of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre, near Heathrow (Europe’s largest migrant detention centre). Approximately 150 detainees are occupying the courtyard, sitting down in protest of the fast-track asylum system in which individuals claiming asylum are placed immediately in detention and held whilst their asylum cases are processed. Protesters are refusing to eat or to move. Security has started taking the ID cards from each individual involved in this peaceful sit down protest.

The demands of detainees are as follows:

– To be taken off the unfair fast track system.

– To not be treated as criminals by being locked up.

– For communications with lawyers to stop being interfered with (claims that faxes are often not received and letters to lawyers not sent by detention staff are being made).

– Access to adequate legal representation.

– The end of corrupt practices whereby governments including Pakistan and Nigeria are given payments to issue travel documents and accept deportees, including people who are not even from those countries.

Detainees have expressed the following sentiments:

– Detainee 1:

‘we don’t even know the meaning of fast track; they give us an interview today and decide tomorrow, it is not fair’

‘some people have gone back to their countries and been killed’

‘we are expecting letters from lawyers but don’t receive letters; we send letters and they don’t go out’

‘people need help, no one is going to eat food, no one is going for visits’

‘they are treating us like criminals in here’

– Detainee 2:

‘our point of view is this one, we are all put on fast track and have no proper time; just one day before we get decision then they finish our case within 5-6 days’ (talking about appeals and decisions)

‘we are not given time to get evidence if someone wants to save their life that’s why they come here…’

‘there is no time to prepare a case and we have to find all our own evidence’

‘80% of people in here have no solicitor’

‘they consider everyone the same, there is no proper time to make a claim, if someone needs evidence from their country it is not possible in 1 or 2 days to get this’

‘judges give decisions of appeals in the same day as they are heard’

‘99% of cases on fast track are refused’

– Detainee 3:

‘we are scared what will happen now, they are taking our IDs; they are taking us away 5 or 6 at a time’

‘we don’t know each other but we are all suffering in the same way’

‘there are about 150 of us sitting here’

For further information please contact:

The Unity Centre – 0141 4277992

www.unitycentreglasgow.org

They can also put you in phone contact with detainees inside Harmondsworth

** for further background on Harmondsworth see: http://detentionaction.org.uk/aboutus/about-harmondsworth-detention-centre

Join us!

Over the past few months people from the Anti Raids Network have been out distributing ‘Know your Rights’ leaflets to people in markets, shops and streets around London. The aim is to give people the information needed to avoid and resist community immigration controls. Next week we will be in Peckham.

Immigration raids happen every day. Recent reports have suggested that up to 70% of the raids in south London have been illegal. Immigration Enforcement Officers have been carrying out raids without correct paperwork and many people have been illegally picked up as a result.

We will bring our latest cards and leaflets with information about rights in different languages. Come along and help us to distribute and spread this information to shops, restaurants and people in Peckham.

Come and join us at Peckham Rye station at 9am.

Take Action. Don’t stand by these racist immigration checks.

On Tuesday (29th April), friends of the Anti Raids Network disrupted a Home Office immigration raid on a Middle Eastern restaurant in London SW1, near Hyde Park, shortly after 2pm. Two ‘Immigration Enforcement’ vans were parked up in a back street off Lowndes Square shortly after 2pm, and about 10 immigration officers with one Met police officer in tow barged into the nearby restaurant. Here is a report from friends who were there:

“We were hot on their heels, some 8 of us getting through the door just behind them. As in previous raids, we shouted out to everyone in the building to let them know that: you can walk away and leave at any time during the raid; you don’t have to answer any questions; immigration officers are not allowed to block people from leaving or chase anyone out of the building. We also filmed and photographed the raid and handed out information leaflets in both English and Arabic.

A number of people did manage to walk out and leave the restaurant without being hassled. On this occasion the staff of the restaurant all had legal papers and chose to show them to the immigration officers. The border thugs also used a mobile fingerprint scanner on one man. Failing to find any ‘illegals’, the squad told everyone to ‘go back to work’. They were followed back to their vans by chants of ‘Racist Scum, Off Our Streets’, and then we watched them drive off empty-handed.

Video here

We learnt a few interesting things today. The border thugs had no legal paperwork to enter the building, but it seems got so-called ‘consent’ from the manager on the door. This is typical: they push their way in, then intimidate people into ‘agreeing’, with the implied threat of bigger trouble if you don’t cooperate. Recently released official reports have condemned the London Bridge UKBA gang behind this raid for routinely using dodgy paperwork to enter buildings. Another question is what led them to target this restaurant. Most Home Office ‘intelligence’ comes from tip-offs from grasses and informers*, so maybe there was a call from someone with a grudge. Or perhaps it was just a ‘fishing expedition’ picking randomly on a business with migrant workers.

We noticed that, unlike many other raids, this time the racists were oddly well behaved and didn’t try to muscle us out of the way. it could be that after recent bad publicity they’ve had some kind of ‘good cop’ training day on how not to let the mask slip when there’s several cameras pointed at you. Also, we got the feeling that they may be getting increasingly resigned to meeting this kind of opposition and disgust wherever they go.

That’s just as it should be. Immigration officers are bullies who rely on our fear and compliance. As they routinely break their own rules, knowing that they may get caught out for acting illegally is one reason why they may retreat when confronted by a few people. Another simpler one is that, like most predators, their basic strategy is to pick off easy targets, but back off when they meet resistance.

Of course this kind of shit is going on everywhere, every day. And many people are fighting it, every day. Anti Raids is just one network involved in sharing ideas, information and examples of resistance. What we need is a widespread culture of zero tolerance for raids and bullying attacks by immigration officers, police, or any other fascists. In the streets, in our neighbourhoods, wherever we are, don’t stand by, take action.”

***

Anti Raids will be out on the street next week in Peckham. Join us to distribute ‘know your rights’ leaflets on Tuesday 6th May. Meet at Peckham Rye station at 9am. See the previous blog post for further details.

Notes:

*There were 100,000 tip offs in 2010 for example.