Harmondsworth, 8 April 2006. Around 300 people from London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Brighton, Reading and Cardiff demonstrated at the Harmondsworth and Colnbrook detention centres near Heathrow to ensure that "those inside will hear our voices and know that they are not alone." The call out for the demonstration was made by London No Borders, the Campaign to Close Heathrow Detention Centres, London Against Detention, and The Square Occupied Social Centre in solidarity with the Noborder actions in Australia [see the NCADC report].
There was a large police presence and they prevented detainees and demonstrators from establishing a line of sight: the demo was not allowed to take place in the field where detainees could see it from their windows. Security guards also prevented detainees from accessing the centre's exercise yard and didn't even allow them to approach the windows. Some detainees were reportedly beaten up when they protested against these restrictions. In response, some 150 detainees in Colnbrook have gone on hunger strike [Read press release on updated situation in Colnbrook].
Many phone calls from detainees were passed on to the demonstrators via a small sound system. Former detainees also gave live testimonies of their own experience in detention [Sekindi's speech]. Meanwhile, about 40 people managed to make their way around the side of Colnbrook where detainees could see and hear them from the windows, and they spent a long time communicating with people inside, before being moved on by the police.
See the full timeline of events
Reports and Pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Audio reports
Videos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
In Glasgow, around 300 asylum seekers, refugees, sans-papiers, Unity activists, and their supporters marched from the Home Office Reporting Centre in Ibrox to a rally in the Carnival Arts Centre in town calling for the right to work and an end to deportations. On Monday, 10th April, the All African Women's Group and other organisations protested outside Communications House in London in solidarity with international actions for immigration and asylum rights, and against detention.
In Manchester, a demo and rally [more] were held on 15 April under the slogan "Manchester: city of detention, destitution and deportation". On the same day, the offices of Ethiopian Airlines in London were targetted by anti-deportation activists. Their locks were glued and anti-deportation slogans were painted over their office and in the surrounding area.
The main demo as seen from pavement walking towards the footpath
The demonstration was first agreed on at the UK-wide Noborders gathering in London last March. It was also agreed to hold similar actions at various detention centres throughout the country in the future.
Many people with experience as detainees, from Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Uganda, Congo, Ivory Coast and other places were present. Other groups, such as the Rhythms of Resistance samba band and a choir from Women in Black, were also involved.
The authorities were eager to interrupt contact between detainees and demonstrators. Before the demonstration, both Harmondsworth and Colnbrook detention camps announced that visiting hours were to be shortened. According to the authorities, the detainees were upset and afraid during the last demo, claiming that they didn't understand it was for their benefit. There were also concerns for the safety of visitors who might get caught up in the demonstration or feel threatened.
The demonstration itself was prevented from taking place as planned, in a line of sight of the windows of the detention centre. Demonstrators had to converge at the gates of Harmondsworth, where they could not be seen by detainees. The reason given was concern for local residents (in a row of houses next to a loud dual carriageway!), who, according to the police, complained about the noise at the last demo.
At the same time, security guards inside both detention centres prevented detainees from going outside the building or near the windows where they could see the demo. Some were forced back into their cells violently. In protest, some of the detainees have gone on hunger strike, starting from lunch time on that day.
During the demo, Indymedia was testing a new way of sending text reports and photos from mobile phones straight to the newswire [see this report, for example]. Indymedia dispatch lines were open from 9am to about 3pm. The result was the timeline. The reports were also broadcast on rampART radio [1,2,3,4, audio reports].
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no borders no cctv no police state
09.04.2006 14:10
geordie
THE HUNGER STRIKE HAS NOT ENDED.
01.05.2006 10:02
VOICE | 28.04.2006 09:20 | April 2006 No Borders Days of Action | Migration | London
THE HUNGER STRIKE HAS NOT ENDED.
update - Thursday 27th April
DEMAND AN END TO THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS:
- Serco (For Colnbrook), Press Office: 01344 386 300
- Home Office Press Office: 020 7035 3535
THE HUNGER STRIKE HAS NOT ENDED.
update - thursday 27th april
The hungerstrike continues with detainees who speak out suffering harsh reprisals in the centre. Visitors and press are being denied access to the detainees. Many people's mental health is severely damaged by isolation cells and torture. Some are in a suicidal state of mind, including a 17 year old boy who is injured and currently still bleading.
Some of the Hungerstrikers from Haslar Immigration Removal Centre have been moved to Colnbrook, others have disappeared. Many still continue the hungerstrike at Colnbrook.
Amos Onokare, from Nigeria, who was refusing food at Haslar, and was quoted in "Second holding centre hit by hunger strike" in The GuardianMonday April 17, 2006, was moved to Colnbrook. His legs have been broken by officers to stop him resisting. He continues the hungerstrike.
Romeo Dzamba the victim of previous deportation has been moved out of solitary confinement after a week in the secure unit. He is one of many who has been beaten and tortured by detention officers at Colnbrook, Harmondsworth and Heathrow. Romeo has also been sexually harrassed by officers watching him in the shower and sexually assaulted by officers putting their fingers in his anus. He continues the hungerstrike.
JT was taken to the Hillingdon Hospital yesterday. He was advised to take liquids in order to preserve his organs, which he is arranging to be donated to charity. On his way to the hospital he was handcuffed so badly that his wrists are still are scarred. He continues the hungerstrike.
DEMAND AN END TO THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS:
- Serco (For Colnbrook), Press Office: 01344 386 300
- Home Office Press Office: 020 7035 3535
VOICE Refugee Forum
VOICE
THE HUNGER STRIKE HAS NOT ENDED.
children in prison
29.11.2006 20:57
But the immigration officer say that they are 18 and send them to a detention centre.
Is it fair to keep under 18's in a prison.
What does the human rights say about that, if they say that it is right to keep young kids in PRISON AND MAKE THEM GET MENTALLY DEPRESSED, then the british government is correct. But if human rights say that you are not allowed to put young kids in a prison.
then what is going on right now should be stopped...
haroon