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Glasgow Demo Against Removal Flights

CH | 07.03.2007 11:54 | Anti-racism | Migration

More than 30 people are gathered outside the Eagle Buildings in Glasgow to protest against the forced removal of people from their communities here.

The Eagle Buildings houses the Immigration Court where bail and other hearings that decide people's fate are made. Campaigners have expressed shock at the apparent arbitrariness of some of the decisions made there in the past.

Today's protest was called by the Black African Community in Glasgow and supported by Unity. It's in response to the recent Mass Deportation of people to the DR Congo. This took place (via a flight chartered by XL Airlines) last week despite massive protests and the fact that various NGO's, including the UN 'peacekeeping mission', report that, once again, the human rights situation in DR Congo is deteriorating.


More news as we get it :)

CH
- Homepage: http://www.theunitycentre.org

Additions

12:30 Update

07.03.2007 13:40

Numbers have swelled to 80-100 and the energy level has increased exponentially. Reports of dancing, chants of "Free Congo!" and making the link between the different groups recently removed by charter flight. Iraqi Kurds, Afghans and Congolese have had this happen to them in the last few months. Places ravaged by wars over resources or geopolitical manouevering.

Office workers have started to come out for lunch and take an interest, cars coming off the M8 are tooting their horns. It's lively enough that I wasn't able to get a quote over the phone but it's just started raining heavily, so maybe folk will be moving away soon.

CH

2pm Update

07.03.2007 14:38

This isn't so good news. There's reports / rumours that a person set fire to themself inside the Eagle Building this morning, between 10:30-11:00am.

Facts: Someone (maybe one of the cops on the door of Eagle Building) was overheard saying there'd been a fire. Senior cops turned up. An ambulance team with a police escort entered the building.

People are trying to verify how much of the story is true right now, and if it is, also to find the identity of the person and if they are badly hurt.

CH
- Homepage: http://www.unitycentreglasgow.org

Photos here

08.03.2007 11:12

A set of photos is available on the end of that link.

ch
- Homepage: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/364545.html