800 March in Glasgow on Saturday against deportations
reposter | 02.10.2005 09:46 | Migration | Repression | Social Struggles
800 people marched in Glasgow against deportations and detentions
This report aken from BBC News Saturday 1st October 2005.
Anyone got any links to photos or reports from the participants point of view?
This report aken from BBC News Saturday 1st October 2005.
Anyone got any links to photos or reports from the participants point of view?
Protesters called for an end to dawn raids on asylum seekers
About 800 demonstrators have marched through the centre of Glasgow to a rally protesting against the treatment of asylum seekers.
The campaigners marched from George Square to St Enoch Square, where politicians and trade union officials made speeches.
The rally came two days after a Kosovan family, which had been living in Glasgow for five years, was deported.
The Vucaj family had been subject to a dawn raid by immigration officials.
They were taken to Yarlswood detention centre near Bedford on 13 September before their final deportation on Thursday.
'Tears of rage'
The action provoked fierce reaction from politicians, as well as human rights activists and charities.
Daughter Saida Vucaj, 13, called the charity Positive Action In Housing (PAIH) from the detention centre to say that she and her family had been woken up and told to get dressed as they were being deported.
Robina Qureshi, director of PAIH, said: "This city is the asylum capital of the UK, having more asylum seekers per head of population than any other city.
"In the last 48 hours we have had hundreds of phone calls and emails expressing outrage, anger, disgust and tears of rage at the fact that dawn raids go on in this city to the Vucaj family and other families like them.
"These are messages from ordinary Scottish people. And our message is clear - no more dawn raids in this city. Let the Scottish Executive act and give Scotland back a sense of dignity."
About 800 demonstrators have marched through the centre of Glasgow to a rally protesting against the treatment of asylum seekers.
The campaigners marched from George Square to St Enoch Square, where politicians and trade union officials made speeches.
The rally came two days after a Kosovan family, which had been living in Glasgow for five years, was deported.
The Vucaj family had been subject to a dawn raid by immigration officials.
They were taken to Yarlswood detention centre near Bedford on 13 September before their final deportation on Thursday.
'Tears of rage'
The action provoked fierce reaction from politicians, as well as human rights activists and charities.
Daughter Saida Vucaj, 13, called the charity Positive Action In Housing (PAIH) from the detention centre to say that she and her family had been woken up and told to get dressed as they were being deported.
Robina Qureshi, director of PAIH, said: "This city is the asylum capital of the UK, having more asylum seekers per head of population than any other city.
"In the last 48 hours we have had hundreds of phone calls and emails expressing outrage, anger, disgust and tears of rage at the fact that dawn raids go on in this city to the Vucaj family and other families like them.
"These are messages from ordinary Scottish people. And our message is clear - no more dawn raids in this city. Let the Scottish Executive act and give Scotland back a sense of dignity."
reposter
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IMC Scotland feature
02.10.2005 14:52
Haven't seen a report of the demo yet. Folk marched, then heard speeches. Some of the speakers were schoolkids. A small detachment of clowns entertained the younger kids. Nice atmosphere, but I was hungover so didn't participate much.
Jock Tamson
surprised
05.10.2005 09:13
rex
may day is it?
05.10.2005 12:55
Meanwhile, a group of Turkish communists tried to take the battle to the cops who had attacked the international workers day celebrations.
With no support from the dreadlocked lifestyle anarchists, they eventually gave up, much to the relief of the cops.
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