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SERCO picket, London March 8, 2008

Peter Marshall | 09.03.2008 17:44 | Globalisation | Migration | Repression | London | World

As a part of the International Women's Day, Feminist Fightback, All African Women’s Group and Black Women’s Rape Action Project picketed the SERCO
Research Institute in central London, demanding the immediate closure of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre.
Pictures copyright © 2008, Peter Marshall. All rights reserved.

Demonstrators arriving at SERCO
Demonstrators arriving at SERCO

Outside SERCO
Outside SERCO

In HIgh Holborn
In HIgh Holborn

In High Holborn 2
In High Holborn 2


SERCO may be a name that most people would not recognise, though increasingly around the world it is running their lives. Around the world, governments are turning to SERCO to run what used to be public services - hospitals, prisons, schools and even military services. In the UK, if you go to prison it may be run by SERCO, and you will be taken there in a SERCO van. SERCO also own and run Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre, where around 400 women and children seeking asylum are imprisoned.

Around 70% of the women there at any time claim they are survivors of rape. Conditions at Yarl's Wood are appalling, with inadequate food, racist and sexist abuse, and profiteering from the sale of essential items, (and SERCO were forced to investigate why they were no receiving their miniscule government allowance of 71p a day.) At times women have been prevented from contacting their lawyers.

Women there have responded with hunger strikes as well as letters and petitions to Gordon Brown and others demanding investigation of their treatment.

SERCO have a Research Institute in a court off High Holborn, and as a part of the International Women's Day, Feminist Fightback, All African Women’s Group and Black Women’s Rape Action Project held a picket there after the Million Women Rise event on Saturday March 8.

Around 40 people turned up to demand the immediate closure of Yarl's Wood and an end to the criminalisation of rape and torture survivors. They also called for an end to SERCO and other private companies profiting from the oppression and misery of others.
More about this – and many more pictures – on My London Diary soon.
 http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2008/03/mar.htm#serco

Peter Marshall
- e-mail: petermarshall@cix.co.uk
- Homepage: http://mylondondiary.co.uk

Additions

Serco also profits from nuclear weapons

09.03.2008 20:39

Well done for picketing Serco.

Serco also forms one third of AWE ML, along with U.S. arms giant Lockheed Martin and, presently, BNFL. This is the company which operates the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield, both in Berkshire, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Serco therefore profits from the manufacture and maintenance of 'British' nuclear warheads for the Trident system.

 http://www.serco.com/text/markets/defence/awe.asp
 http://www.awe.co.uk/aboutus/the_company_eb1b2.aspx


dv
- Homepage: http://www.tridentploughshares.org


Protest at Serco AGM

09.03.2008 22:43

Women from Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp have a (rogue) shareholder campaign against Serco in response to their WMD profiteering (though the reasons to despise this company are numerous ... talk about dirty fingers...).

Any women wanting to get involved (whatever your reasons for taking issue with Serco), should drop us a line, or come and have a chat with us at camp, or on Easter Monday demo at Aldermaston.
Serco AGM usually end of April/early May at the QEII centre in westminster.

some related links:

 http://www.aldermaston.net/campaigns/serco_2004.php
 http://www.peacenews.info/issues/2442/244222.html
 http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston/

jk
mail e-mail: info@aldermaston.net
- Homepage: http://www.aldermaston.net