Migration
Migration and NoBorder news.
No Borders, No Nations
15-05-2007 00:00
Nottingham Celebrates Mayday
05-05-2008 19:18
Mayday has been celebrated in one form or another for thousands of years. Pagans marked the day as the end of the hardships of winter. Following the struggle amongst American workers for the eight hour day and the murder by the US state of four anarchists involved in that struggle in 1886, the day has come to be marked as International Workers' Day.
In Nottingham this year, there were two Mayday events, both organised by the Mayday Organising Committee, an off-shoot of the Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group. As has happened for the past few years, there was a march and rally, starting and ending at the Brewhouse Yard on the Saturday May 3. The second event was a public meeting held on May 1 itself, addressed by local asylum seeker Amdani Juma and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg.
Newswire: Nottingham May Day 1 Pictures - Event | Nottingham May Day 2 Pictures - Parade | Mayday march and rally in Nottingham | Nottingham Celebrates Mayday with Moazzam Begg
Previous Features: Mayday! Mayday! Celebrations in Nottingham (2007) | Mayday in the East Midlands (2006)
Links: Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | Wikipedia on Mayday
Full article | 3 additions | 7 comments
Detained Mothers on Hunger Strike in Yarl's Wood
16-04-2008 12:00
Seven mothers in the family unit in Yarl's Wood immigration prison are on hunger strike since Thursday, April 10th. They include two breast-feeding mothers. A protest involving up to 15 families started last Thursday, when a mother with her baby, who were to be taken to the airport, took refuge in the 'church' and refused to leave.
Full article | 4 additions | 3 comments
Once again, Harmondsworth hunger strike broken violently
08-04-2008 15:16
Update: Although the majority of detainees in Harmondsworth have resumed eating after the repression, some are still refusing to eat [more].
On Saturday, 5th April, between 5 and 6am, around 50 police in riot gear stormed the Harmondsworth immigration prison, near Heathrow, to break the detainees hunger strike who were protesting against the so-called fast track asylum system. They took 30 detainees away and most of them were put in solitary confinement or taken into normal prisons to prevent them from communicating with each other and the outside world. One detainee, who managed to contact supporters, said he was bruised all over his body, had injuries from handcuffs and a damaged ankle. He also reported that he saw another detainee being violently 'manhandled' by police.
The detainees' peaceful protest had started at 9am on April 1st, with mass food refusal by almost all of the detainees in the so-called immigration removal centre. Later, they also occupied the courtyard and around 120 of them remained there all night. A petition, with 116 signatures, has been sent to the European Court of Human Rights, John McDonnell MP and others (see also supporters' press release).
Links: No Borders London | No Borders UK | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns | Indymedia UK's Migration page
Previous protests inside/at Harmondsworth: November 2006 | April 2006 | January 2006 | July 2004 | The Harmondsworth Four acquitted
Nottingham's Zimbabwean Community Responds to Rigged Elections
04-04-2008 15:12
On March 29 Zimbabwe went to the polls. The election was widely criticised with accusations of vote rigging, state orchestrated media bias and violent intimidation of opposition activists. The outcome was generally considered a foregone conclusion, which would have little to do with the opinions of most Zimbabweans and early indications are that these concerns were well placed, although events now seem to have taken a more complicated turn.
In Nottingham the Zimbabwean community used the election to draw attention to the situation in their country and camapaign against the threat of deportation which many Zimbabwean asylum seekers face. They organised a meeting at the Sumac Centre on March 28 and held at protest at Nottingham's new speakers corner on March 28.
Audio: Interviews at demonstration | NIMC interview with Zimbabwean Activist
Photo: Zimbabwean Asylum Rights Demo @ Speakers Corner, Nottingham | Nottingham Zimbabwe demo calling for release of election results
Newswire: No result in Zimbabwe elections | Nottingham’s Zimbabwean Community stand together | Zimbabwean Asylum Rights Demo @ Speakers Corner, Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Migration Topic Page
Previous Features: Refugees In Need Of Community Protection? | Situation in the Congo is worsening as deportations continue | Nottingham Protest against Deportations to Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) :: Pictures
Links: No Borders Nottingham | Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | The Zimbabwean | Zimbabwe Indymedia (archive)
The Harmondsworth Four acquitted
22-02-2008 20:50
The four migrants accused of "conspiracy to commit violent disorder" during the Harmondsworth uprising in 2006 were today found not guilty. Relying on a clearly insufficiently indoctrinated jury, the attempt to single out and punish few individuals with violent criminal convictions and long sentences has been thwarted. Of course, all four have already served one year and three months in prison, on top of varying times in immigration detention. Now they will have to resume their struggle against the immigration system, which imprisoned them for seeking refuge in the first place, and will most probably be dispersed around Britain's detention estate until their cases are 'resolved'.
Today the Support the Harmondsworth Four Campaign held a protest outside Sodexho's London headquarters. There had been a solidarity protest outside the court every Monday [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5].Background: letter from two of the Harmondsworth 4 to Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! | 'Report of the Investigation into the disturbances at Harmondsworth and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres', Robert Whalley | Chief Inspectors of Prison Report on Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre
Full article | 10 additions | 2 comments
Dawn raids stopped on UN International Migrants Day
18-12-2007 16:16
On Tuesday 18/12/07, activists from the No Borders Network, marked UN International Migrant's Day, by blockading immigration reporting centres in Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle and Portsmouth. Arriving at the centres in the early hours of the morning, the activists aimed to prevent Immigration Enforcement Officers from staging dawn raids, in which families are often rounded up in preparation for removal to countries from which they have been forced to flee.
In Bristol, activists arrived in time to lock onto vehicles, and a police officer wasoverheard confirming that a dawn raid had been planned. In Portsmouth, activists were locked onto the swing barrier and gates by 4.30am and believe that another dawn raid from that site was thwarted. Glasgow activists were in place by 5.30am when Immigration Enforcement Officers arrived and were unable to leave the car park with their vehicles due to a tripod, and people d-locked to the gates. Newcastle activists dressed in Santa outfits locked onto the gates and used arm tubes to prevent vehicles from leaving the car parks. 2 of the Glasgow activists were cut free from their D-locks and arrested, whilst a tripod continued to ensure that vehicles could not leave the car park. Activists at the other sites were able to leave without any arrests taking place.
In Manchester, the local Immigration Reporting Centre Dallas Court had its gates locked with a motorcycle chain, and a banner reading "Caution snatch squads – we are watching you” was hung. Later, at 10 am, the Home Office in Marsham Street SW1, London was disrupted after activists blocked the entrance and unfurled a large banner declaring "No Child is Illegal: Child Detention is a Crime".
Dignity Not Detention!
30-10-2007 11:08
Asylum seekers, refugees, trade unionists and supporters from all over the North marched from the Home Office in Sheffield to Lindholme Detention centre near Doncaster between 26-28th October. The marchers were demanding "The right to work for asylum seekers" and stating that "Seeking asylum is not a crime." They finished at Lindholme immigration removals centre, the nearest such centre to Nottinghamshire, where asylum seekers are often held without having committed any criminal offence. The demonstration there on Sunday 28th was joined by supporters from Nottingham.
A rally was held at the fence of Lindholme and the marchers could hear detainees inside chanting in response to them. A candlelit vigil for those who'd died in detention centres was held and speakers from many countries, including the Congo, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Iran, Iraq and South Africa spoke. The demonstration is the latest in a series of protests at Lindholme making the demand to "Shut Down Lindholme!"
Links: "Dignity Not Detention" March on Lindholme | Photos from the start of the "Dignity Not Detention" march on Lindholme | The start of the "Dignity Not Detention" march on Lindholme (Pitsmoor) | Dignity Not Detention! march arrives at Lindholme | Dignity Not Detention! leaflet (pdf)
Previously at Lindholme: No Borders demonstration at Lindholme Immigration Removals Centre | Lindholme Noise Demo Photos | 10 Lindholme Detainees still free | Detainees held in 'filthy' conditions, Lindholme, nr Doncaster
In Notts: Nottingham demo called against deportation charter flight to DR Congo | Nottingham Congolese Community demonstrated against continued deportations | No Borders Nottingham 'National Day of Action on Asylum Rights' | Mayday in Nottingham (Round Two)
"Dignity Not Detention" March on Lindholme
26-10-2007 00:19
The "Dignity Not Detention" 3 day march on Lindholme started on Friday 26th October with a demonstration outside the Home Office in Sheffield, and a march, via the Town Hall [photos] to Ellesmere Green, Burngreave [photos]. They stayed the night in Rotherham and spent Saturday marching to Doncaster. On Sunday 28th the march arrived at Lindholme where about 70 people demonstrated solidarity with detainees and called for the centre to be shut down.
Full article | 3 additions | 23 comments
The Gatwick No Border Camp
17-09-2007 20:20
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
International Reports: Holland IMC 1 | 2 | Liege IMC 1 | 2 | Switzerland IMC | Barcelona IMC | Germany IMC 1 | 2 | Estrecho IMC | CMI Galiza
Practical Info: How to get to the Camp | Local contacts for travelling | Camp's programme | Workshops | Frequently Asked Questions | Legal infos for migrants coming to the camp
For more information see the Camp's website and IMC-UK Topic Page
Links: London No Borders | Nottingham No Borders | noborder.org | Map of European migrant camps | Migrating University | Groups Endorsing the UK's Camp
Temporary Victory for DR Congo Refugees
26-08-2007 16:19
A High Court judge has ordered the halt of all deportations to the Democratic Republic of Congo pending a 'country guidance' hearing for the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in September. The news was a reason for much rejoicing among DRC communities across the country, both inside and outside detention. Campaigners said the Home Office has, once again, missed a chance to get rid of as many Congolese asylum seekers as possible before the guidance appeal is determined in their favour. However, sources said the Home Office are still going ahead with the charter flight, filling it with DRC nationals who have not claimed asylum.
A number of Congolese detainees had received 'removal directions' for the 30th August. Last February, 21 children and 17 adults were forcibly deported to DR Congo on a charter flight operated by XL.
Eight coordinated demos, called by Congolese communities and the Congo Support Project, took place on 28 August in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Middlesborough, Newcastle and Nottingham. Meanwhile, charter airline XL has threatened the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) with legal action after the latter published a message saying XL might be operating the 30th August deportation flight.
Related: Dozens deported to DR Congo | UK-wide Day of Action Against Deportations to DR Congo
