Protesters Thwart Dawn Raid On Asylum Family

Immigration officials yesterday abandoned a dawn raid on a family of failed asylum seekers after demonstrators gathered outside the tower block where they live. An early-morning candlelight vigil was being held by up to 200 people outside the Kingsway Court flats in Glasgow when police and immigration officials arrived at 6.40am to detain a family of Turkish Kurds. After angry scenes in which other asylum seekers and supporters shouted at officials, it emerged the parents of the family to be detained, Ali and Fatma Uzun, were not at home – they had joined the protest.

It is understood that immigration officials abandoned the attempt to detain the family after interviewing Gokhana, 17, the eldest of three children staying at the address in Scotstoun.

Amal Azzudin, a 16-year-old Somalian refugee – one of the “Glasgow Girls” who helped persuade the First Minister to intervene on asylum policy – said there had been emotional scenes when police and immigration officials arrived. “People were very angry and very scared. They feel like it could be them next,” she said.

The raid followed renewed criticism of the Home Office’s asylum policy after it emerged that a protocol agreed with the Scottish Executive six months ago covering the detention of asylum seekers has not been implemented.

The protests were sparked by a raid on the tower blocks early on Monday – the home of a Congolese woman and her two children. Caritas Sony was detained along with Heaven, two, and four-month-old Glad, after her application for asylum was rejected.

Around 60 asylum seekers and supporters gathered at 5.30am at the Kingsway flats. Campaigners said their number swelled to 200, but Strathclyde Police said there were 150 people.

A police spokeswoman said the event passed off peacefully and no arrests were made.

The Home Office declined to comment on the specific detention but said: “In extremely rare cases, families seek to frustrate removal by separating parents from their children.

“In the interests of safety and to help minimise disruption, the visit will normally take place early in the morning when the family is most likely to be together.”

The protests coincided with criticism of the main detention centre for asylum seekers by Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons in England and Wales.

Yarl’s Wood, in Bedfordshire, was designated the main UK detention centre after criticism of Dungavel in Lanarkshire.
Ms Owers made 48 recommendations to improve health services at Yarl’s Wood.

Home Office minister Liam Byrne said he took the report “very seriously” and an action plan was being drawn up.