In the early hours of Thursday morning this week a 40 year old detainee died at Oakington immigration prison (just outside Cambridge). While the cause is not known, other detainees reported that he had been refused medical attention despite complaining of feeling unwell on Wednesday. One source told the Guardian newspaper that the man, who is thought to have had a heart attack, had asked for Panadol repeatedly and was seen "crawling around the floor in pain" before he died. The source claimed the man's pleas for help were refused by staff at the centre, which is run by the private security company G4S for the UK Border Agency.

Cambridge Migrant Solidarity will be holding a demonstration in solidarity with the detainees in Oakington this Sunday between 12 noon and 2pm. If you would like to join people cycling from Cambridge, meet on Parkside (next to Parker's Piece), by coach bay 16 at 10am. There will be transport available for people from Cambridge leaving from the same meet up point at Parkside at 10:30am. There will be transport available for people travelling from outside Cambridge, leaving from Cambridge train station at 11:30. Please call or text 07879 793739 now, if you would like transport at either time, so we can make sure we arrange enough to get everyone there. There are no public transport services near the Removal Centre (it is not in Oakington village).

We want to make sure the detainees at Oakington know that they are not alone, and that there are people outside who care about the dreadful situation they are in. So, please bring drums, megaphones, horns, whistles and anything else that will make us heard inside.

Please join us on Sunday, and show the innocent people imprisoned at Oakington are not alone.


Cambridge Migrant Solidarity



Mainstream Press coverage:

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8623025.stm

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/apr/15/oakington-detention-centre-immigrant-death

 http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/89276

 http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Protest-at-immigration-centre.htm