Hundreds of protesters lie under Home Office van to ‘block immigration raid’ in Glasgow

2

View
comments

Police have tonight released two men who were detained by Border Force officials an immigration van following a stand-off with hundreds of protesters over an immigration raid in Glasgow.  

Pictures on social media showed the immigration enforcement van parked on Kenmure Street, in the city’s Pollokshields area, with people sitting on the road in front of it, as well as one laid underneath the vehicle, while crowds of others surroundedd it.  

Around 200 protesters were at the scene, with chants of ‘Leave our neighbours, let them go’ and ‘Cops go home’ being heard as a ring of police stood around the van.

The mid-morning forced removal saw two young men taken from a top-floor flat by Home Office officials. The immigration status of the individuals detained remains unclear. 

Shortly after 5pm, Police Scotland released a statement saying the men would be released.

Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the Home Office’s actions had been ‘reckless’.

Saying that immigration was a reserved issue, he tweeted: ‘Situation should never have occurred – the UK Govt’s hostile environment is not welcome here’.

He added: ‘I abhor Home Office immigration policy at the best of times, but to have taken the action they have today is at best completely reckless, and at worst intended to provoke.’

A Police Scotland statement said Superintendent Mark Sutherland had decided to release the detained men ‘in order to protect the safety, public health and wellbeing of those involved in the detention and subsequent protest’.

The force asked those nearby to disperse from the area as soon as possible.

A spokeswoman said earlier: ‘Police Scotland does not assist in the removal of asylum seekers. Officers are at the scene to police the protest and to ensure public safety.’   

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said earlier she was ‘deeply concerned’ about the incident ‘in the heart of a community celebrating Eid’.

Ms Sturgeon, who was sworn in on Thursday as MSP for Glasgow Southside, added: ‘My office is making urgent enquiries and stands ready to offer any necessary assistance to those detained.’

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he was ‘disgusted by the Home Office raids’.

He tweeted: ‘It is particularly unacceptable that this is happening during a pandemic, in an area that has a spike in cases and on the day of Eid.’   

Ms Sturgeon also accused the Home Office of creating ‘a dangerous and unacceptable situation’ in the city.

She wrote on Twitter: ‘The @ukhomeoffice action today is creating a dangerous and unacceptable situation in Pollokshields. As local MSP, I am also seeking urgent answers from them – they must resolve this situation ASAP.’

Glasgow Central MSP Alison Thewliss added: ‘This is absolutely awful, but heartened to see local residents in Pollokshields standing up for their neighbours and refusing to accept the brutality of the UK Home Office. 

‘I am taking this matter up with Ministers. Not in our name.’ 

Co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie, wrote: ‘It’s horrific that people are forced to take such action to defend their most vulnerable neighbours from the brutality of the UK Home Office.

‘We need an asylum system worthy of the name, and asylum support provided to a standard our communities can be proud of.’ 

Imagery shared on social media showed a refreshments stall has been set up in a nearby bus stop on Kenmure Street for protesters.

Another video shows a man placing a sign outside his window on the street which reads: ‘If this is Team UK we reject it.’

Lawyer Aamer Anwar tweeted: ‘What a cynical provocative & disgusting move, on the day of #Eid @policescotland are assisting @pritipatel Home Office immigration in enforcement raid- as people of Pollokshields turn out. These are our neighbours. Let them go.’ 

A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘At around 9.55am this morning, police were called to support colleagues at the UK Border Agency at an address in Kenmure Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow. 

‘A number of protesters are now at the location. Officers are at the scene and inquiries are continuing.’

Police later added: ‘The call was made by UK Immigration Enforcement (UKIE) after a group of protesters gathered at the address where UKIE staff were in attendance.

‘Police Scotland does not assist in the removal of asylum seekers. 

‘Officers are at the scene to police the protest and to ensure public safety.’

Mohammad Asif, director of the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, was one of what he said were hundreds of neighbours protesting against the action. 

The 54-year-old said: ‘We’re here against the hostile environment created by the Tories and the British state.

‘The same people who run from the British and American bombs put at the back of the van right now. And they are about to be deported.

‘And it’s on Eid you know… the guys are not even allowed to pray. How do you do that in a democratic society? It’s a sad day.’

Mr Asif, who left Afghanistan as a refugee himself in 2000, said the atmosphere amongst the protesters is peaceful.

Sabir Zazai, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, wrote: ‘Not close to the details on this but this is shocking, disgraceful and racist if people are raided by enforcement officers amidst the pandemic on the day of #Eid.’

Lotte, an artist and member of the Scottish tenants union Living Rent, lives on a street nearby and joined the protest when she saw a small group outside the property on Kenmure Street at 10am on Thursday.

The 26-year-old said: ‘I’d like to express my utter disgust at the brutal removal of my neighbours from their home.

‘It is an awful thing to do on any day, but today being Eid makes it 10 times worse. I hope they will let our neighbours go.

‘Police are surrounding the Home Office van… they are refusing to answer questions about whether they have access to legal representation.

‘They claim that they don’t know anything about the deportation and are just ‘protecting the Home Office’.’