Solidarity demonstration

10:00am Monday 14 July

Uxbridge Magistrates Court ,

Harefield Rd, Uxbridge UB8 1PQ



The All African Women's Group and Women of Colour in the Global Women's Strike are calling for support for Mr Ayodeji Omotade, charged with threatening/ abusive/insulting/disorderly behaviour towards British Airways (BA) crew, as a result of intervening in the violent deportation of a fellow Nigerian.


The man, who was thought to be about 30, was being held down in his seat by four or five police officers as the other passengers filed on board, and was crying out in broken English that he was afraid he would die if he were sent back to Nigeria.

The officers took him off the plane, then returned and arrested Ayodeji Omotade, one of the passengers who had complained vociferously about his treatment. When others on board protested noisily about Mr Omotade's detention, the captain ordered them all off the flight. The only person who eventually flew economy class on flight BA0075 was the unidentified deportee who did not want to go. (The Independent, 21 April 2008)

Respect Nigerians Coalition, formed to press for a boycott of BA, say:

"Mr Omotade himself was the victim of police brutality and high-handedness. He was the one publicly and thoroughly humiliated - dragged out of the plane, slammed against the wall, beaten, bundled into a police van, arrested and detained for almost eight hours for no just cause."


Mr Omotade was trying to be his brother's keeper because, as an informed and well-travelled Nigerian, he is aware that many Nigerians have been killed like dogs in similar circumstances."

They list many examples including:

"In September 1998, Semira Adamu, a 20-year old Nigerian lady was asphyxiated by Belgian police while being deported. . . . Semira and her family are yet to receive justice up till this day."

Mr Omotade, is being punished for his humane response to someone in distress. In our experience, many lives have been saved by passengers intervening in removals where women, children and men are being forced back, sometimes with extreme violence, to rape, other torture and even death. BA seem determined to deter others from showing such humanity in order to continue unhindered with violent deportations. We must be present for and defend Mr Omotade, otherwise none of us is safe.

Mr Omotade says:

"People need to know that British Airways can be challenged. As I've talked about what happened, people tell me of similar experiences but they fear making complaints about it."


Sign the petition 4,717 signatures to date:

British Airways must apologize to Nigerians

 http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/component/option,com_philaform/Itemid,214/form_id,6/



More details:  http://www.respectnigerians.com/BoycottBA.pdf



www.respectnigerians.com & www.nigeriavillagesquare.com


All African Women's Group:  centre@crossroadswomen.net


Women of Colour, GWS:  womenofcolour@allwomencount.net Tel: 020 7482 2496

"Nigerians call for boycott of BA after deportation"

 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nigerians-call-for-boycott-of-ba-after-deportation-812649.html

Enquiries/further information:

Contact: Crossroads Womens Centre

0207 482 2496, 07947 442 210