from a noborder report:
27.07.03 NoBorder Camp - Bari Palese - h 17:45 - Migrant citizens detained in the detention centre of Bari Palese escape during actions of activists from the noborder camp.

A delegation of activists who participated in the antiracist noborder camp has entered the military airport of Bari Palese where a detention center for migrant citizens was set up during the Kosovo war. It can "host" up to 2500 people. At the moment, 70 refugees asking for asylum are detained, waiting to be transferred to other detention centers or to be deported in mass deportations. In this non-place, violations of the fundamental rights occur daily.

Activists entered the airport and recorded the voices and the images of the migrants inside. Other activists with banners have blocked the street outside the airport. During the initiative a number of migrants managed to escape from the centre.

Fifteen activists who entered the centre as a delegation were kept by police. Outside in the street, people were still demonstrating. In the meantime, representatives of institutions and lawyers were called to ask for the immediate release of the 15 activists. Police asked for the videos made by the activists, saying it's illegal to make videos of military places. The 15 activist refused to give them the videos, but they were forced to erase the images of the military structure. At about 23.00 the fifteen were relased without charge.

The activists outside and inside the centre were very satisfied with this successful action which gave some migrants the possibility to escape.
Today, we managed to free the bodies of some of the people who are locked up in these places. Today's success is also important for the European dimension of the initiative. It is necessary that the closing of detention centres and struggles for migrant's citizenship rights have a European dimension - as a space where the political programme of a Europe built from below is being constructed.