URGENT: Dawn raid on family in Glasgow - Protest tomorrow!

Unity | 02.12.2012 15:20 | Anti-racism | Migration

Mazhar Hussain, his wife Uzma and their daughters, 15 year old Khudaijah, 13 year old Areej and their 4 year old son Shahmer were arrested in their house in Glasgow this morning by UKBA Immigration Enforcement Officers.

UNITY are calling for a protest outside the UKBA offices at Festival Court on Brand Street tomorrow - Monday 3rd December - at 11.00am in solidarity with the family.
(Nearest tube is Cessnock.)

The family are currently on their way to the Cedars detention centre via Edinburgh airport. Speaking to a family friend, Muzhar, who has problems with his legs which cause him pain and affects his mobility said that they didn't understand why they had been detained as he thought they had a hearing for a Judicial Review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh later this month.

A Unity volunteer said "We'd only been talking with Mazhar and his family about arrangements we were making for a Christmas Party earlier last week. The two girls and little Shamer had been quite excited about the idea and wanted to know if we were planning to get them Christmas presents! We're shocked and outraged that this family have been detained, especially as it looks like all possible legal action has not finished."

Cedars 'pre-departure accommodation' family detention centre is the supposed 'family-friendly' alternative to detaining children run jointly by security firm G4S and children's charity Barnardos.

Recently the Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised staff at the detention centre saying that their restraint of a pregnant woman there had been unacceptable. (

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/23/g4s-deportation-force-pregnant-woman) The Inspectors also "observed unprofessional behaviour by an officer on a different escort in the hearing of children".

Last week, figures released by the UKBA showed that in the three months of July-September this year, a total of 20 children were detained at Cedars. Another 27 were detained in Tinsley House prior to being removed form the UK. This is despite claims that children are no longer detained in the UK.

Campaigners have been putting pressure on Barnardos to withdraw from running Cedars. (

https://network23.org/barnardosout/)

Stop detaining children!

UNITY!

The UNITY Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow
G51 1AQ

0141 427 7992
www.unitycentreglasgow.org

Unity

Additions

Pictures from today's demo

03.12.2012 17:26

In the slush and snow about 20 - 30 people turned up for the demo outside the UKBA's reporting centre in Glasgow. to protest against the dawn raid and detention of a family on Sunday morning.

Just before the protest a single man from Nigeria was detained inside the reporting centre and a Reliance van that had turned up to take him to Dungavel detention centre was stopped from entering by protesters standing in the way of it. In the end the Reliance van turned away but may have returned after teh demo ended.

During the protest by memebrs of Unity No Borders and friedns of the family including fellow asylum seekers we managed to finally make phone contact with the family.

The family have a removal flight scheduled for early Wednesday monring.

More news and an urgent action appeal will follow.

UNITY

Comments

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Detention of children has not ended

02.12.2012 17:06

... it has only became more invisible, and the promise by hypocrite Nick Clegg to end children detention is but a lie, CEDARS (that stands for compassion, empathy, dignity, approachability, respect and support) looks pretty from the outside but is in fact a detention centre where children are kept under lock with their parents after being snatched from their beds at dawn, it is surrounded by a double fence and brutality during deportations seem to have increased, while the childen's charity BARNARDOS is providing the children facilities, thus collaborating with G4S who run the beutified immigration prison, and giving a human face to the detention of children. What's a cover up. Feel like vomiting?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/23/britain-sill-locking-up-children?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

http://unitycentreglasgow.org/?page_id=570

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/23/g4s-deportation-force-pregnant-woman

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/10/22/distressing-video-shows-cardiff-family-taken-from-home-by-border-agency-91466-32083986/

noborders

UKBA Immigration Statistics

02.12.2012 17:12

UKBA Immigration Statistics Quarter 3 July/August/September 2012

[All data verbatim from UKBA statistical release Q3]

At 30th September 2012 there were 3,091 persons in Immigration Detention

This is the highest number of detentions since records began and at that date, occupancy of the detention estate was 93.6% of capacity

A total of 47 children were detained in Q3 (disputed age minors, not included)
20 children entered Cedars Pre-Departure Accommodation in Q3 - (leaving the UK)

27 children entered Tinsley House IRC in Q3 - (entering the UK)

7,186 persons left detention in Q3 of these 4,277 were removed from the UK and 2,909 (40.4%) were released into the community

repost

Cedars - contacts

02.12.2012 17:36

Cedars
Brighton Road
Pease Pottage
Crawley
RH11 9AD
Phone: 01293 844900
Fax: 01293 844945

https://contact-ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/organisation/pre-departure-accommodation/

UKBA

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What is the basis for their claim?

03.12.2012 09:28

If you could give us some info as to why they are claiming aslylum status it will make defending them that much easier. Where are they from, what is it they fear in their country of origin etc ?

No Borders

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03.12.2012 11:54

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03.12.2012 11:57

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You perhaps should e clear?

03.12.2012 20:22

You don't want these children taken to detention with their parents when their parents are detained?
I hope you aren't suggesting would be better to remove the children from their parents, taking them into "care".

You need to be clear about what your proposed alternative is for THIS problem (Yes I understand, you are in favor of "open border" and unresticted migration. Obviously if NOBODY was being detained pending legal process to determine status the problem wouldn't exist. But THESE articles are about the evil of sending the children of detainee parents into detention with their parents, NOT about not detaining the parents.

MDN

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