South Coast Migration

15-06-2008 09:32 | 1 comment

Stop the Deportation of 'Tara Aryan'

Tara Aryan is an Iranian refugee to the UK who converted to Christianity last year. The home office is trying to deport her to Iran. If they are sucessful she could face imprisonment or death for 'abandoning Islam'.

Tara has lived in Brighton for two years before being detained at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre. She was scheduled to be deported on Friday 13th June on a BMI flight from Heathrow. She was transferred to the airport but the removal was deferred after a judicial review was lodged by her solicitor. Tara is now detained again at Yarl's Wood.

Resources: Online Petition to grant Tara asylum

Links: Brighton Voices in Exile - See this site for updates on Tara's case

Media Coverage The Argus (Brighton) Christian Convert Could Face Death | The Argus - Final Plea by Woman Facing Iran Deportation

17-09-2007 20:20 | 3 additions | 23 comments

The Gatwick No Border Camp

2007 is witnessing a resurgence of No Border Camps around the world as three Camps have been announced. The first one took place in Ukraine in mid August [Pics] and another one is announced at the US/Mexico border for November. But close to home, this week the UK sees the first No Border camp near Gatwick airport. Despite weeks of constant harassment of local farmers by the police, the Camp got under way as planned with several hundred people attending workshops and discussions, and taking part in actions and demonstrations throughout the week.

The No Border Camp sought "to try and stop the building of the new detention centre, and to gather ideas for how to build up the fight against the system of migration controls". The Camp progaramme consisted of four days of workshops, protests and discussions. Various actions were announced for the week, including a Transnational Demonstration on Saturday 22nd from Crawley to the site of Brook House attended by around 500 people. Brook House is planned to be Britain's largest detention centre for migrant people, and it is being build next door to Tinsley House. Another solidarity march took place in Newcastle. There were several actions also happening during the camp on Thursday and Friday. These included the occupation of Virgin Atlantic tour operator offices and a blockade outside Group 4 near Crawley, a welcoming event in Crawley as well as demonstrations outside Lunar and Electric houses reporting centres in Croydon.

Reports
Saturday 22nd: Timeline of Events | Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Video | Press Releases: 1 | 2
Friday 21st: Timeline of Events | Reports: 1 | 2 | Pics 1 | 2 | Video | Press Releases: 1 | 2 | 3
Thursday 20th: Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Pics | Video
Wednesday 19th:: report | report and pics | pics

For more information see the Camp's website and IMC-UK Topic Page

21-04-2007 11:54 | 1 addition | 8 comments

Gatwick Protest: No More Immigration Prisons

Over 100 people held a lively protest in Crawley, West Sussex, on 21 April, 2007, against a new planned detention centre nearby. The protest, called by the No Borders network in the UK, aimed to show opposition to the new purpose-built Immigration Removal Centre (as it's called by the government) which is being built at Gatwick Airport. The new prison for asylum seekers will have a capacity of 420 places for male and female detainees and is another step in the Labour government's efforts to meets its target of 4,000 places in detention centres throughout the country.

The demonstration, which was mainly made of two large groups from Brighton and London, marched through Crawley town centre in the high of Saturday's shopping spree. Many leaflets were given out, informing locals about the reasons for the demonstration, whilst pointing out the fact that a new concentration camp for innocent people is about to be built on their doorsteps. Policing was relatively low but the level of surveillance and 'information gathering' was incredibly high and intimidating.

Report and pics | Pics in IMC-Barcelona | Video