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The Tinsley House blockade in pictures

one of noborders | 18.03.2009 19:52 | South Coast

Early in the morning of 17th March, about 20 anti-deportation campaigners from London and Brighton blockaded Tinsley House detention centre at Gatwick airport, where some Iraqi refugees due for deportation were being held. Using D-locks and superglue, the aim of the protest was to try and prevent the deportees being taken from the detention centre to Stanstead airport, where a special charter flight to Iraqi Kurdistan was scheduled that afternoon. Unfortunately the blockade was removed around 1pm, just in time for the WH Tours coach to get to the airport and Tinsley deportees be put on the flight, along with some 50 others brought from Campsfield and Dover detention centres. Nine protesters were violently arrested under Section 69 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (failure to leave land after a warning) and taken to Crawley police station. For more details, see the protesters' press releases:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/424368.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/424406.html

the start of the blockade just after 7am

detention staff and managers arrive to be told they can have the day off

confused cops and G4S managers

inside, security guards seem confused too

more police and the first 'intelligence gatherer' arrive

the blockade and the blocked gate

WH Tours coach stuck inside with deportees on board

inside, detainees could reportedly hear the solidarity chants and slogans outsid

hours pass and police don't do much, save filming and intimidating people

the blockade goes on

and on
and on

one protesters is taken away for having a piss; others had to do it in bottles!

down the road, a police 'check point' prevents journalists from reaching protest

around 1pm, police warn protesters to leave or be arrested for trespass

some choose to leave and are escorted out of the airport area

while cutting equipment is prepared to remove the blockade

Unfortunately I couldn't get any pictures of the removal operation and violent arrests, which involved 40-50 cops and resulted in 9 people, including the 6 locked and superglued to the gate, being arrested.

one of noborders