HMP Forest Bank demo - support immigration detainees
Emma Ginn | 25.09.2004 12:53 | Migration
Demonstration to support immigration detainees, including those held in main-stream prisons like HMP Forest Bank in Manchester.
leaflet about demo with background briefing
- application/vnd.ms-powerpoint 2.8M
asylum seekers, scapegoats for Blunkett blunders
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 !
Anyone with a car or wanting a lift should assemble at Chorlton Street bus station, Manchester at 12.00 midday
Buses from Manchester - All buses require 15 mins walk to the prison. No 8 from Cross Street (near Boots) get off at Agecroft Rd / Bolton Rd junction. Buses every half hour – 25 mins and 55 mins past the hour. This bus requires the longest walk. No 93 from Exchange bus station - every hour, 50 mins past the hour. Get of at Butterstile Lane. Walk down Hilton Lane. No 92 from Bury Interchange. Get off at Butterstile Lane. Every hour, 20 mins past hour. Walk down Hilton Lane.
contacts :
Emma 07786 517379 /
sady_campaign@yahoo.co.uk
Heather simple_things@riseup.net
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 !
Anyone with a car or wanting a lift should assemble at Chorlton Street bus station, Manchester at 12.00 midday
Buses from Manchester - All buses require 15 mins walk to the prison. No 8 from Cross Street (near Boots) get off at Agecroft Rd / Bolton Rd junction. Buses every half hour – 25 mins and 55 mins past the hour. This bus requires the longest walk. No 93 from Exchange bus station - every hour, 50 mins past the hour. Get of at Butterstile Lane. Walk down Hilton Lane. No 92 from Bury Interchange. Get off at Butterstile Lane. Every hour, 20 mins past hour. Walk down Hilton Lane.
contacts :
Emma 07786 517379 /
sady_campaign@yahoo.co.uk Heather
simple_things@riseup.net
Emma Ginn
e-mail:
sady_campaign@yahoo.co.uk