In February 2010, refugees and migrants held at the Yarl's Wood immigration prison organised a hunger strike, demanding an end to indefinite and imprisonment and abuse. Their courageous protest lasted five weeks, despite violent attacks by Serco's private security guards, who manage the detention centre. Their action was ‘for everyone in detention.’

In retribution, several people involved in the hunger strike were singled out and moved to prisons. This was also a way of intimidating other detainees from speaking out about their experience of the immigration system. Three women targeted in this way are still behind bars: Denise McNeil, Sheree Wilson and Aminata Camara. Without charge or a court order, they have been away from their families, friends and communities for far too long. Demonstrators will call for their immediate release.

While this month the government has claimed that the children’s section of Yarl’s Wood will be closed, immigration controls continue to cause disruption and trauma for families. Denise McNeil has been away from her children for more than two years.

‘I’ve suffered enough,’ she says. ‘I would just like to be released to be with my children to make up for this time lost.. To be a mother like I was before this happened - that’s all I want.’

At the start of a new year, demonstrators will try to show the Yarl's Wood 3 and other prisoners that they have support on the outside and that the struggle for freedom goes on. ‘The Yarl’s Wood 3 are being targeted for their part in a brave act of resistance,’ one of the supporters said, ‘When they use prison to try to silence resistance, we will fight back.’

The Yarl’s Wood 3 will also have bail hearings in the coming month. More actions are planned for 2011 as the campaign for their freedom goes forward.


NOTES

1. For more information, contact George Lavender 07783322752 or email  freedenisenow@gmail.com

2. A Facebook page for the event has been created here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Denise-Now/174533002581566

3. Nick Clegg was widely criticized for ‘rebranding detention':

4. For more information about Denise McNeil’s campaign, visit  http://www.ncadc.org.uk/campaigns/DeniseMcNeil.html

5. 'Asylum seekers win new strength to fight after Yarl's Wood hunger strike':


'We are determined to win justice for the violent and vicious way we were treated,' says mother in family detention centre protest.

6. 'Why I am on hunger strike at Yarl's Wood
' - Denise McNeil, one of the detainees at Yarl's Wood, explains why she has been on hunger strike for the last two weeks: