Migration
Migration and NoBorder news.
No Borders, No Nations
14-05-2007 23:00
Protests in solidarity with Yarl's Wood hunger strikers
20-02-2010 23:25
A mass hunger strike by migrant women detained at Yarl's Wood immigration prison in Bedfordshire has been ongoing since 5th February, 2010. The hunger strike, which involved some 84 women at the start, was sparked by detainees demanding that "the frustration and humiliation of all foreign nationals [in detention] ends now" (see demands below).
On 8th February, a violent attempt by Serco security guards to break up the protest saw 70 women being locked in a corridor for up to 8 hours without access to food, water, toilet or medical care. Many collapsed and about 20, who climbed out of a window, were beaten up and taken into isolation cells [detainee's account]. Four of the women, singled out as 'ringleaders', were taken to Bedford police station and subsequently transferred to HMP Holloway prison in London, without being charged with any offence or brought before a judge.
A number of protests in solidarity with the hunger strikers have taken place. On 10th February, students and campaigners held a two-day solidarity hunger strike at the London offices of Serco, the private security company that runs Yarl's Wood. Two days later, on 12th February, a noisy demo was held outside Serco's offices, with around 50 people present. 84 Northwest No Borders activists also took part in a 24-hour fast in solidarity with the 84 detainees on hunger strike. 66 people in Bradford also took part in a one-day solidarity hunger strike. On 17th February, a protest was held outside HMP Holloway in solidarity with the 'Yarl's Wood four'. On 21st February, a protester was held inside the perimeters of Yarl's Wood [press release | pics]. Another protest at the Serco offices in London has been called for Friday, 26th February.
A similar mass hunger strike in Yarl's Wood in June last year was met with violent assaults on detainees by Serco security guards. Again, a solidarity protest was held at the company's offices in London, where protesters sneaked a look at its 'protest response plan'.
Links: No Borders London | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)
Calais: Repression and Resistance
10-02-2010 12:12
On Sunday, 7th February, French Police attacked the Kronstadt Hangar as part of an ongoing campaign of repression against migrants, which included the destruction of many migrant camps and squats in July 2009. The Hangar had been hired by the No Border Network and the French organisation SôS Soutien aux Sans Papiers as an autonomous space for migrants and activists struggling for the right to freedom of movement. Before the Hangar was opened, migrants had been meeting up outside the night shelter during the day, but the night shelter had finally closed at about the time the hangar opened its doors on 6th February.
Previous articles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Links: Calais Migrant Solidarity | No Borders London |
Urgent action for Notts family facing deportation
25-01-2010 18:42
Campaigners are mobilising to make a final attempt to stop the deportation of Brian, Chelsea and their mother Selina Adda to Ghana
Selina Adda a national of Ghana and her two children aged five and nine years, residents of Nottingham for the last five years; are currently detained in Yarl's Wood IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Wednesday 27th January 2010 @ 14:50 on British Airways flight BA0081 to Accra.
Their asylum claim and all further legal avenues have been rejected.
Update (27/01/10): Selina and family have not been deported! See article for info.
Previous features Anti-deportation campaign for Notts family
Newswire: Selina Adda did not fly yesterday | Sanctuary for the Adda Family | Sanctuary for Brian, Chelsea & Selina
Action: Petition | BA Customer relations
Links: Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigners
No to Deportations and Destitution
01-12-2009 17:23
In March 2007 the Home Office published "Enforcing the Rules": stating that its purpose was to ensure that for people seeking asylum, life "becomes ever more uncomfortable and constrained until they leave or are removed." From October this year they have stepped their efforts to make life hard for asylum seekers (and perhaps win some votes from the most ignorant and racist parts of the electorate). In particular: cutting asylum benefits to £5 a day for asylum seekers over 25; attempting (disastrously) to deport people to Baghdad, claiming that it is "safe" (one of the people on the demo had lost a friend to car bomb in Baghdad weeks before); making the process of claiming asylum even more of maze that it already is and announcing their intention to forcibly deport people to Zimbabwe by claiming there were "positive changes" there.
Sheffield's Zimbabwean community felt this attack on them should be resisted. They fled Zimbabwe to find safety here and there is no less danger in Zimbabwe now than before the latest "Unity" Government. Initiated by them and backed by the South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) we decided to speak out against this latest stepping up of the Government's war against asylum seekers. So 100-120 people demonstrated outside the Town Hall: asylum seekers from Zimbabwe, Uganda, Iraq, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Chechnia, Uzbekistan and Sudan joined SYMAAG, Sheffield and Barnsley Trades Councils, ASSIST, No Borders, CDAS, Sheffield Green Party, the Bishop of Sheffield and council leader Paul Scriven to show our opposition. As well as speeches there was dancing from members of the Zimbabwean group. The demonstration received coverage from Radio Sheffield, Sheffield Live and The Star and passers-by took 200 leaflets explaining why we were protesting. We left, cold but proud that we stood up for asylum rights in our city.
Next SYMAAG meeting: Monday 7th December 7pm at Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE
Links: Protest Notice | Protest Photos
Southcoast Indymedia Revamp
30-11-2009 23:46
Southcoast Indymedia is three and a half years old. Since Southcoast Indy began it has been a place where local activists can report their news. Southcoast has hosted reports on the growth of the Smash EDO campaign [1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18], the battle for Titnore Woods [1|2|3|4|5|6|8], battles over freedom to protest in Brighton and Worthing [1|2|3|4], The Gatwick and Calais No Borders camps [1|2|3], Sussex students' struggles, the South East mobilisation for the G8 in Gleneagles, the campaign to free Omar Degahyes and Binyam Mohammed, Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Southcoast Indymedia was set up with the aim of "of providing a readily accessible source of news and information on the Kent, Sussex and Hampshire area of the south of England...We will be extending an invitation to all kinds of community groups and campaigns (well, almost all - racists and fascists are not welcome here!) to use South Coast IMC as their own site, a place where they both post news of their own and catch up with others".
Almost four years on, we would like to renew the creative process that drives Indymedia and relaunch the Southcoast collective; making South Coast Indymedia an ongoing, relevant resource for all activists in the area. With more people involved, we can make South Coast Indymedia a valuable tool for wide variety of campaigns and individuals, with South Coast-relevant features, campaign diary and newswire for announcements and reports of events in the area.
On Sunday 6th December, from 2-3.30pm, at the Cowley Club in Brighton, there will be a workshop to discuss a revamp of Southcoast Indymedia. The session is for anyone who wants to contribute content, tech support, graphic/web design or has any skills or experience to share, etc.
New ideas and general curiosity are very welcome on the day, get involved!
If you are interested contact southcoastindymedia@riseup.net
BNP Membership Leak 2.0
22-10-2009 10:31
On 20th October 2009 a list containing personal details of BNP members was leaked for the second time by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks. According to Wikileaks the latest data reflects the state of the party membership as of April 2009. An analysis of the data alludes to the successes and failures of the antifascist movement within the UK.
The claims of a 'surge' in BNP membership since the European elections appear to be false. The figures show a unique paid annual membership of 11,811 which is significantly less than the 14,000 recently claimed by the BNP. The list leaked in November 2008 showed a membership of 12,802 names although this list was widely regarded to include non-members who had shown an interest in the party.
Wikileaks state that a total of 35,000 memberships appear on the list, but after this number reached 33,000, 100,000 has been added to all subsequent membership ID numbers. "It has the effect of making the BNP look larger to new recruits and those they talk to, since the numbers on their membership cards are all over 133,000" say Wikileaks. This was a tactic originally adopted by the German nazi party after 1919 who added 500 to every member's number to exaggerate the party's strength, and was regarded as a key propaganda tactic to increase support.
The number of lapsed memberships also appear to be significantly high which indicates the party is poor at retaining committed support. A member of the state-funded antifascist group 'Searchlight' stated "people join the party because they're angry, agitated or curious, but they leave in equal numbers out of the bottom". However most BNP supporters are unlikely to join a political party so the figures exhibit a skewed representation of the current landscape of fascism in the UK.
Birmingham Related Articles: Fash Get The Brum Rush | EDL is BNP front group | Birmingham kicks out EDL | Birmingham kicks out EDL.. again
Related Articles: BNP Threatens Free Media | Keep Question Time Nazi Free | No to the BNP! No to the Racist Labour Government! | Secret BBC Location
BNP Membership Leak 2.0
21-10-2009 11:50
On 20th October 2009 a list containing personal details of BNP members was leaked for the second time by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks. According to Wikileaks the latest data reflects the state of the party membership as of April 2009. An analysis of the data alludes to the successes and failures of the antifascist movement within the UK.
The claims of a 'surge' in BNP membership since the European elections appear to be false. The figures show a unique paid annual membership of 11,811 which is significantly less than the 14,000 recently claimed by the BNP. The list leaked in November 2008 showed a membership of 12,802 names although this list was widely regarded to include non-members who had shown an interest in the party.
Wikileaks state that a total of 35,000 memberships appear on the list, but after this number reached 33,000, 100,000 has been added to all subsequent membership ID numbers. "It has the effect of making the BNP look larger to new recruits and those they talk to, since the numbers on their membership cards are all over 133,000" say Wikileaks. This was a tactic originally adopted by the German nazi party after 1919 who added 500 to every member's number to exaggerate the party's strength, and was regarded as a key propaganda tactic to increase support.
The number of lapsed memberships also appear to be significantly high which indicates the party is poor at retaining committed support. A member of the state-funded antifascist group 'Searchlight' stated "people join the party because they're angry, agitated or curious, but they leave in equal numbers out of the bottom". However most BNP supporters are unlikely to join a political party so the figures exhibit a skewed representation of the current landscape of fascism in the UK.
Related Articles: BNP Threatens Free Media | Keep Question Time Nazi Free | No to the BNP! No to the Racist Labour Government! | Secret BBC Location
Resisting Deportations to Bagdad
16-10-2009 18:24
Around fifty people protested on 14th October against the deportation of more than forty people to Baghdad. The demonstration was called to stop the first mass deportation flight to Baghdad, and demanded that "the first mass deportation flight to southern Iraq, expected to leave on Wednesday, is suspended and the detainees threatened with forcible removal are released immediately." Activists from International Federation of Iraqi refugees and Stop Deportation Network spoke and called for an end to all deportations to Iraq and to free the detainees. Also on 14th October an early day motion was tabled by 4 MPs in the House of Commons which "calls for the deportation of Iraqi refugees to Iraq to be halted and for the Iraqi detainees threatened with forcible removal to be released immediately". Despite this the first deportation to Baghdad took place, 39 people were flown out early on Thursday the 15th October on a specially chartered plane provided by Air Italy. Sadly UKBA were able to deport the first ten people to Baghdad. The other detainees were not accepted by the Iraqi government and were flown back to detention in the UK. Update: the returned Iraqi detainees have announced a hunger strike from 19th October 2009 and have said that they and will strike until they are released. In addition a French / UK deportation flight to Afghanistan was due to leave Lille-Lesquin on the 20th October but was cancelled at the last moment.
A model letter has been produced by NCADC for people to use as part of their campaign against Air Italy over this issue. A further demonstration, was held on Saturday October 17th in Parliament Square and it was addressed by two deportees, who had been returned to Brook House detention centre, they spoke on the phone and told protesters, via a megaphone, of the violence and mistreatment they had experienced during the deportation at the hands of immigration officers and private security guards.
A protest has called, No Deportations to Iraq - Release the hunger strikers now! for Monday, 26th Oct, 4:30-6:30pm at the Home Office: 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF
Articles: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ]
Links: [ Stop Deportation Network | Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq ]
Fortress Europe, struggles continue
08-10-2009 18:48
No Borders activists staged a protest on 6th October at a Arora hotel near Heathrow in protest at the company's plan to convert one of its Gatwick hotels into an immigration prison. Management of the Arora International Hotels have applied for a change of use, which would see the hotel rooms converted into 245 cells, which would supplement the existing 551 places at nearby Brook House and Tinsley House.
On the same day, a number of migrants in the UK and France were in fear of deportation to Afghanistan on a joint charter flight. The anticipated flight was, however, cancelled, although there may be flights planned for the future.
The co-operation between the British and French states is carried over from the destruction of the 'Jungle' in Calais on 22nd September, which initially appeared to have been a media stunt, as many of the migrants removed from the camp have found their way back to Calais, with no possessions and nowhere to go, whilst some of the other camps in the area remained untouched by the brutal police operation that was publicly launched by the French State, and applauded by British politicians such as Home Secretary Alan Johnson. On Wednesday 10th October, the operation resumed with an attack on the Dock Camps. The highly visible harbourside squat inhabited by Palestinians, Egytians, Eritreans and Somalians was destroyed by 20 odd vanloads of CRS. Around 30 arrests were made.Many of those arrested have been released and are sleeping rough, facing continued police harassment. Activists on the ground are appealing for support so that the attacks can be resisted.
Links:
Hotel Action: press release | pix | video
Charter Flight: 1 | 2 | 3
Attack on Jungle: 1 | 2 | 3
No Borders | Calais Migrants solidarity | Schnews | Shift interview
Actions launched against Europes largest Arms Fair
04-09-2009 16:19
Anti-militarist activists have begun taking action against Europe's largest Arms Fair, Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi), which returns to London's Excel Centre from the 8th to 11th of September.
Actions to date include a mass action launched from Climate Camp against Barclays Bank the largest backer of the global arms trade, attacks on branches of HSBC and RBS, a picket of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Trade Fair, a pixie action against Brighton based arms manufacturers EDO MBM/ITT, and pickets of an Armed Forces recruitment centre and DSEi's new organisers Clarion Events.
More actions are expected over the weekend following a call-out for disruption of exhibitors premises in the lead-up to the Arms fair, and for this purpose, a map of exhibitors locations was created.
A local paper has reported that military staff were drafted in to support the 3000 police who secured the last DSEi, which is held every two years. Policing costs are likely to be even higher this year, as Disarm DSEi has called for the mass action on Tuesday 8th September to take place in the City, where investors and backers of the Arms Trade will be targeted. The action will be a test of post G20 policing strategies. Disarm DSEi which campaigns against the Arms Fair has refused to negotiate with the police. Past actions have been the subject of major repression, and searches and kettles have been used frequently. This year was the first time that the Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) were not photographing people attending the public meeting.
Past coverage: 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007Links: Disarm DSEi | Space Hijackers | Smash EDO | CAAT | London CAAT
