Protest against Arora's plans to turn hotel into immigration prison
No Borders London | 06.10.2009 14:45 | Migration
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/10/439267.html). After a 'friendly' chat with Tim Jurdon, Head of Planning at Arora Management Services Ltd., protesters unfurled a banner reading 'Arora Prisons International' and started to leaflet guests and staff in the lobby. After about 10 minutes, they were dragged out by security guards. Below are some photos and what *you* can do.
http://tinyurl.com/AroraApp). The consultation period end on 15th October, so there is still time to let the Council know about your concerns and objections by posting a comment on the page above.
You can also contact Arora International Hotels directly and let them know what you think of their plan:
Tim Jurdon
Head of Planning
Arora Management Services Ltd
The Grove, Bath Road,
Sipson, West Drayton,
Middx, UB7 0DG
Tel: 020 87577674
Fax: 020 87577671
Email:
timjurdon@arorainternational.com Or through the contact form on the company's website:
http://www.arorainternational.com
No Borders London
Homepage:
http://london.noborders.org.uk
Additions
The leaflet
06.10.2009 15:20
Arora plans to increase its profits by locking up innocent and vulnerable people
Driven by what appears to be a decline in business, Arora Management Services Ltd has applied to the Crawley Borough Council for permission to turn its four-star hotel at Gatwick airport, Mercure, into an immigration detention centre. If the planning permission is granted, the hotel will be converted into a secure prison and the 245 bedrooms into single and family cells.
Thousands of innocent migrants are locked up in immigration prisons across the country for prolonged periods of time pending their forcible deportation. With no right to automatic bail and no access to adequate legal representation, they are treated like criminals when their only 'crime' is seeking safety or a better life.
Gatwick airport already has two detention centres: Tinsley House, which can hold 125 male and female detainees, and the newly opened Brook House, which can hold 426. Both are run by security company G4S.
Arora is trying to sell its plan by arguing that locating detention centres at airports would make deportations easier and less costly for the government. In reality, this keeps detention and deportations out of the public gaze as airports are subject to special bylaws and accessing them -for example, by visitors and campaigners- is much harder.
By protesting to the hotel management and/or the Crawley Council you can help stop this cynical, profit-driven opportunism. More details at
http://london.noborders.org.uk.
No Borders London
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