Demo in support of asylum seekers at HMP Forest Bank 23rd Oct 04
Emma Ginn | 25.09.2004 12:17 | Migration
Demonstration to show solidarity with immigration detainees, including those held in main-stream prisons like HMP Forest Bank, Salford, Manchester.
David Blunkett visited Dungavel Removal Centre and said he found the conditions “entirely satisfactory”
A few weeks later on July 21st 2004, an immigration detainee was found hanged at Harmondsworth Removal Centre. Four days after that, a detainee was found hanged at Dungavel.
Was Blunkett entirely satisfied then ? Seemingly not : after a major disturbance at Harmondsworth following the death, over 100 detainees were moved to prisons, including HMP Forest Bank.
The Home Office say those detainees have been moved out of prisons now. We have little faith : in 2001 David Blunkett said “…we will remove the necessity and practice of anyone claiming asylum being in prison … It is a scandal that shouldn't have happened. It's time it was over”. It’s never been over ; asylum seekers have continued to be held in prisons. And asylum seekers criminalised by the Home Office, made destitute & homeless, have been forced to work illegally in order to survive - some have been caught, convicted and jailed at HMP Forest Bank.
As a part of a nation-wide series of demos, our last demo at HMP Forest Bank on 1st August helped attract a lot of media focus, which held up for quite a few weeks. The demos had a major impact and detainees said it gave them great strength to know people on the outside supported them. So please, come and support detainees again and help us continue to raise awareness through local and national media. Thank you !
A few weeks later on July 21st 2004, an immigration detainee was found hanged at Harmondsworth Removal Centre. Four days after that, a detainee was found hanged at Dungavel.
Was Blunkett entirely satisfied then ? Seemingly not : after a major disturbance at Harmondsworth following the death, over 100 detainees were moved to prisons, including HMP Forest Bank.
The Home Office say those detainees have been moved out of prisons now. We have little faith : in 2001 David Blunkett said “…we will remove the necessity and practice of anyone claiming asylum being in prison … It is a scandal that shouldn't have happened. It's time it was over”. It’s never been over ; asylum seekers have continued to be held in prisons. And asylum seekers criminalised by the Home Office, made destitute & homeless, have been forced to work illegally in order to survive - some have been caught, convicted and jailed at HMP Forest Bank.
As a part of a nation-wide series of demos, our last demo at HMP Forest Bank on 1st August helped attract a lot of media focus, which held up for quite a few weeks. The demos had a major impact and detainees said it gave them great strength to know people on the outside supported them. So please, come and support detainees again and help us continue to raise awareness through local and national media. Thank you !
Emma Ginn
e-mail:
sady_campaign@yahoo.co.uk