Close Campsfield Demo
Iemeg | 30.05.2004 16:50 | Migration | Oxford
On the 29th of may there was a demo for the closure of Campsfield "house". The name disguises the true nature of the place, which over the past ten years since it was built,has been detaining asylum seekers who have committed no crime. In the current political climate evermore hostile toward asylum seekers there are plans to expand the structure to "accomodate" even more than the current maximum of 200.
The demo was started around 12.30 by the Breach of the Peace radical samba band from Oxford, which was soon joined by bikers from Bicester, who had rode from the site of the proposed "accomodation centre" (in practice a "low security" detention centre for refugees, as they will not be allowed to leave the area, and where whole families will be held, differently from campsfield which is only for men) which should be built over the next year.
The demo started in front of Campsfield, and then moved around to the back, where double fencing divides the detainees yard with the outside world. All visual contact is prevented by metal pannels which cover the outside fencing, but nothing could prevent communication through speech and music, and through the samba band's rythms, songs of solidarity and speaking we were able to send messages of solidarity to the people inside, who were able to hear us and answer.
England is currently the country which is most "advanced" in the detention of asylum seekers, as there are currently 9 of these sort of centres, most of them run for profit by private companies on behalf of the Home Office. This practice is becoming european-wide, and allthrough the European Union these sorts of centres are being built, while at the same time legislation is being passed to further criminalize not only undocumented migration in itself, but offering assistance to people who do not have "papers".
To get involved in the campaign against Campsfield, and in general against detention of asylum seekers and migrants,see the websights:
www.bicesterrefugeesupport.org.uk
www.closecampsfield.org.uk
www.barbedwirebritain.org.uk
The demo started in front of Campsfield, and then moved around to the back, where double fencing divides the detainees yard with the outside world. All visual contact is prevented by metal pannels which cover the outside fencing, but nothing could prevent communication through speech and music, and through the samba band's rythms, songs of solidarity and speaking we were able to send messages of solidarity to the people inside, who were able to hear us and answer.
England is currently the country which is most "advanced" in the detention of asylum seekers, as there are currently 9 of these sort of centres, most of them run for profit by private companies on behalf of the Home Office. This practice is becoming european-wide, and allthrough the European Union these sorts of centres are being built, while at the same time legislation is being passed to further criminalize not only undocumented migration in itself, but offering assistance to people who do not have "papers".
To get involved in the campaign against Campsfield, and in general against detention of asylum seekers and migrants,see the websights:
www.bicesterrefugeesupport.org.uk
www.closecampsfield.org.uk
www.barbedwirebritain.org.uk
Iemeg
e-mail:
iemeg@email.it