PRESS RELEASE… for immediate release…
Thursday 15 May
Hundreds have surrounded home office van inflicting dawn raid in Glasgow
More than 300 people are currently surrounding a Home Office van in Pollokshields, south Glasgow. Locals responded to reports of another morning raid by immigration enforcement officers. There is now a community blockade. One activist is lying under the van, and has been there for nearly three hours since before 10am. A car is also obstructing most of the up to 20 police vans.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon has tweeted:
“As constituency MSP, I am deeply concerned by this action by the Home Office, especially today in the heart of a community celebrating Eid. My office is making urgent enquiries and stands ready to offer any necessary assistance to those detained.”
Meanwhile the community is showing no sign of leaving from the protest surrounding the van, chanting “These are our neighbours, let them go!”
Pinar Aksu, human rights campaigner and Stand Up To Racism activist, speaking on the Glasgow protest said
“Only two weeks ago we have seen a friend of ours experiencing a dawn raid, and we have just sent a letter with 79 signatures to the home secretary and published it today. This is horrifying to see another raid taking place in Glasgow on the day of Eid where this community comes together for celebration. We condemn these actions and want immediate response from the Home Office and Police Scotland. Dawn raids are not acceptable in our city”.
Ruby Hirsch, Stand Up To Racism Glasgow, said
“This is a united multicultural community and we have shown up in our hundreds to defend our neighbours and we are not going to leave until they are released. In Glasgow we have defeated the tactic before and there is no way we are going to let in return”.
Weyman Bennett, co convenor, Stand Up To Racism, said
“This government is pushing hard to undermine the incredible anti racist spirit of the Black Lives Matter movement, and push racist division in our communities amidst the pandemic and crisis.
“They have commissioned a whitewash report denying the existence of institutional racism, attacked the BLM movement as “awful”, pushed a policing bill that targets anti racist protest, and their new plans for immigration are a part of this general racist assault on our rights.
“We stand with all those who want to fight the new racist plans and defend the rights of all those seeking asylum. We say loud and clear, you are welcome here. We need to mobilise that solidarity to drive back the government’s racist, dangerous and sickening attack on people seeking only to live in safety.”
For more information, interviews and further quotes:
info@standuptoracism.org.uk
