Video of today's protest against the deportation of Mako and her children
Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) | 07.06.2008 02:44 | Anti-racism | Migration | Social Struggles
A video of today's protest against the deportation of leading TCAR member Mako is online at: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcCB-qbafBA , together with some other background footage that was hurriedly put together. A further protest will take place at the Government Offices (opposite St James's Park Metro) in Newcastle on Monday from 9.30-11am, please come along if you can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcCB-qbafBA , together with some other background footage that was hurriedly put together. A further protest will take place at the Government Offices (opposite St James's Park Metro) in Newcastle on Monday from 9.30-11am, please come along if you can.
Despite hostility from the Government Offices and four police vans turning up including cops armed with tasers (which now seem to be standard issue in Newcastle for responding to non-violent refugee protests), protestors occupied the lobby until they had been put on the phone to the regional immigration director at Leeds. Asylum seekers, refugees and supporters showed today that they will not be silenced by intimidation and will not have their means of protest determined by the British state.
Many thanks to everyone who came along to today's protest and who sent messages of protest to Jacqui Smith. Mako's solicitor is making fresh representations partly on the basis of this show of support, so please keep the messages coming. Mako has played a leading role in TCAR in standing up for the rights of other refugees, and she deserves all of our support.
Hope to see you all at the Northern Conference Against Racism on 21st June.
Fight Labour's racist immigration laws!
Together we are stronger - Together We Will Win!
Many thanks to everyone who came along to today's protest and who sent messages of protest to Jacqui Smith. Mako's solicitor is making fresh representations partly on the basis of this show of support, so please keep the messages coming. Mako has played a leading role in TCAR in standing up for the rights of other refugees, and she deserves all of our support.
Hope to see you all at the Northern Conference Against Racism on 21st June.
Fight Labour's racist immigration laws!
Together we are stronger - Together We Will Win!
Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR)
e-mail:
tynesidecarn@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage:
http://www.tynesidecarn.co.uk
Additions
Basta Ya!
07.06.2008 10:55
Many of us broke down on this demonstration. We're sick of seeing our friends being dragged away when they go to sign or from their beds in the early hours of the morning. Have you seen the image of Mako's door in the video? It was completely battered in by the police.
If anyone lives near Newcastle then please come and support the second demonstration we are holding for Mako on Monday morning 9.30-11am and please phone and fax Jacqui Smith. Stopping a deportation is purely a political game at the moment. If you get enough media coverage and put enough pressure on the government then some people are 'saved'. But I think we really need to make our presence felt more on the street. Dawn raids are starting again, in Scotland in Tyneside and elsewhere.
The legacy case programme was just a way of pacifying protest and individualising the struggle. Once the goverment have their house in order they will continue to be as brutal. The Labour government is a racist government. the National Front and the BNP may talk about repatriation but the labour Government don't only talk about it, they do it. A government minister boasted in parliament that one person is deported every 8 minutes. We need to get on the streets and strengthen the fight against this state racism.
If you haven't heard about the Northern Conference Against Racism yet please check it out on the TCAR website (www.tynesidecarn.co.uk). There's going to be speakers and workshops from different political viewpoints and addressing many issues. There's still space to host a workshop if you're interested.
FREEDOM FOR MAKO! FREEDOM FOR ALL IMMIGRATION DETAINEES!
Also, we heard from Dungavel detention centre that one of the detention centres has a contagious virus and is in quarantine (this is why they are not moving Mako). It sounds serious. If anyone has time to check this out, please report on Indymedia. we know that conditions in yarlswood are filthy and that mothers are forced to clean baby bottles in the toilets. It's not surprising if there is an outbreak of infection. But we need to make sure enough pressure is put on the detention centre so that the detainees are given proper access to medical attention.
If anyone lives near Newcastle then please come and support the second demonstration we are holding for Mako on Monday morning 9.30-11am and please phone and fax Jacqui Smith. Stopping a deportation is purely a political game at the moment. If you get enough media coverage and put enough pressure on the government then some people are 'saved'. But I think we really need to make our presence felt more on the street. Dawn raids are starting again, in Scotland in Tyneside and elsewhere.
The legacy case programme was just a way of pacifying protest and individualising the struggle. Once the goverment have their house in order they will continue to be as brutal. The Labour government is a racist government. the National Front and the BNP may talk about repatriation but the labour Government don't only talk about it, they do it. A government minister boasted in parliament that one person is deported every 8 minutes. We need to get on the streets and strengthen the fight against this state racism.
If you haven't heard about the Northern Conference Against Racism yet please check it out on the TCAR website (www.tynesidecarn.co.uk). There's going to be speakers and workshops from different political viewpoints and addressing many issues. There's still space to host a workshop if you're interested.
FREEDOM FOR MAKO! FREEDOM FOR ALL IMMIGRATION DETAINEES!
Also, we heard from Dungavel detention centre that one of the detention centres has a contagious virus and is in quarantine (this is why they are not moving Mako). It sounds serious. If anyone has time to check this out, please report on Indymedia. we know that conditions in yarlswood are filthy and that mothers are forced to clean baby bottles in the toilets. It's not surprising if there is an outbreak of infection. But we need to make sure enough pressure is put on the detention centre so that the detainees are given proper access to medical attention.
Redstaratnight
e-mail:
redstaratnight@hotmail.co.uk