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The Colnbrook Blockade in pictures

One of NoBorders | 14.05.2009 00:37 | Migration

Early in the morning of 12th May 2009, a dozen anti-deportation campaigners from the Stop Deportation network and the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees blockaded the entrance to Colnbrook and Harmondsworth detention centres near Heathrow, to try and prevent a scheduled mass deportation of 45 Iraqi Kurdish refugees held at Colnbrook. Six activists locked themselves together in pairs, using glass and plastic arm tubes attached to heavy concrete barrels. The blockade lasted for over four hours, after which three coaches carrying the deportees left for an undisclosed airport. All six were arrested (two quite violently) for obstruction of the highway.

soon after the start of the blockade
soon after the start of the blockade

Serco and G4S security guards look surprised and confused
Serco and G4S security guards look surprised and confused

detention staff arrive to be told they can have the day off
detention staff arrive to be told they can have the day off

the blockade
the blockade

the blocks
the blocks

this one was decorated
this one was decorated

IFIR banner
IFIR banner

stop mass deportations
stop mass deportations

a truck is brought to block the road further!
a truck is brought to block the road further!

Colnbrook's manager talks to the police
Colnbrook's manager talks to the police

after which they get tea and coffee (a bribe?)
after which they get tea and coffee (a bribe?)

police let cars through using the grass and pavement
police let cars through using the grass and pavement

the blockade goes on
the blockade goes on

Section 14 of POA is applied and protesters are moved to other side of the road
Section 14 of POA is applied and protesters are moved to other side of the road

police cutting team arrives
police cutting team arrives

and block the view with their vans to prevent us from seeing and filming
and block the view with their vans to prevent us from seeing and filming

how do we cut this bloody thing?
how do we cut this bloody thing?

they had to use different equipment due to the mixed nature of the lock-ons
they had to use different equipment due to the mixed nature of the lock-ons

the first lock is cut after about half an hour and the pair are arrested
the first lock is cut after about half an hour and the pair are arrested

the second one, better made, took longer (about 50m)
the second one, better made, took longer (about 50m)

the third arrest was quite violent
the third arrest was quite violent

as so was the forth
as so was the forth

enough space was cleared for the coaches to get through
enough space was cleared for the coaches to get through

and so they did immediately, around 12:45pm
and so they did immediately, around 12:45pm

two Woodcock coaches and one WH Tours, protesters shout in anger and sadness
two Woodcock coaches and one WH Tours, protesters shout in anger and sadness

the last pair decide to release themselves after the coaches had left
the last pair decide to release themselves after the coaches had left

but they still got arrested, of course
but they still got arrested, of course


Hopefully next time, with more people and better planning, the charter flight will be actually stopped, not only delayed.

One of NoBorders

Additions

the cutting

14.05.2009 02:11





















it could take them up to an hour to do one lock-on, depending on how sophisticated it is.

legal observer

arrests

14.05.2009 02:18









all 6 locked on were arrested for obstruction of the highway under section 14 of the Public Order Act. the second and third arrests (middle block) were quite violent. the forth arrestee had wrist pain afterwards having been carried from her handcuffs. the police doctor who examined her at the police station merely said "you'll be fine"!

legal observer

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  1. Fantastic engineering! — Gregory "Concrete Technician" Beetle