A protest has taken place outside a Bristol police station after eight people were held by the UK Border Authority (UKBA).
Campaigners gathered at Trinity Road station yesterday evening to protest about the treatment of the eight, who had attended the station earlier in the morning to register as usual.
Between 20 and 30 people gathered, with speeches made and music played from 5.30pm.
One protester, named as Esam Amin, said on the Asylum Seekers in Bristol website: “Today I was in the police station to sign for UKBA as I do every week. I left the police station and returned to the drop-in centre for asylum seekers to do my duty as a chef.
“Later one of my friend told me that eight people been detained and she said that two of them are asylum seekers but has no details about the others.
“I am really feeling sad. Because still Bristol is City of Sanctuary but is not safe for the asylum seeker. We are feeling unsafe, nervous and stressed when we go to sign at police station.
“In my opinion, UKBA does not listen to us and so we need to work hard for human rights of asylum seeker, we need asylum seekers to get organised, we need existing organisations to support us and we need everyone to learn more about asylum seekers, ask me questions.
“We want to have our dignity back, which UKBA and Home Office want to scrap. They don’t want to listen. They want to carry on with the process of detaining asylum seekers.”
Last year, Zimbabwean Khethiwe Mashavave was taken into detention and threatened with deportation at Trinity Road station – despite making her home in the city for 10 years.
She had been an outspoken critic of president Robert Mugabe, but won a reprieve after a campaign which gained support of local MPs and councillors won her freedom to remain in the UK.
Ms Mashavave had joined councillors and MPs earlier in 2011 to celebrate Bristol receiving its official City of Sanctuary status for refugees.
“One protester … said on the Asylum Seekers in Bristol website …”
What is the url for the website? If this is it, I am getting the message “blog not found”.
http://asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.co.uk./
OK, the link works now.
Hello dear raibert
Thank you very much to all your comments as you wrote it about my comment in the article when I write down for those asylum seekers and others today one of my friend told me about your comment and you asked me to answer now I am using one internet computer of my friend sorry if late to answer your question . First of all I think you not understand well the asylum seeker when they gone been detaining beside UKBA because them cases beaning refused so in the same time they cannot go back to own countries still risk for them and also them life gone be dangers if be back to their but UKBA want send them back by force removal when the asylum seekers chased here we think here is best place to save our live that is why I and asylum seekers here so you should know as asylum seekers are human like you we need save live about support asylum seeker when our cases been refused so the home office stopped all of support which every human need it if you are not allowed work to benefit yourself imagine if you living in the park ,bus stop , outside …e.g and you have not any support from government so you are not allowed to benefit your live and also you cannot go back the not save what you going to feeling do you think the city of Sanctuary is for everyone ? I am sure not so asylum seekers living like that I hope with my poor English I could to explained some suffering of asylum seekers so if want or anyone interested in to more understand about asylum seeker live and issue please come to visit us in Bristol Refugee Right ,Red Cross , Refugee Action ask and listen to asylum seekers how they are living in Bristol when them cases been refused and they are not allowed to benefit them live so they can not back to own countries thank you very much again I hope better live to everyone and asylum seekers aswel ..Esam Amin
Esam,
I doubt if you will understand this – perhaps your friend will explain – I’ll try and keep it simple ….
First of all, when the UKBA tells asylum seekers they have to go back to their own country, then I agree with the decision of the UKBA – they are correct. I am not interested in asylum seekers or their "friends" or you claiming they cannot go back to their own countries because they are unsafe. The UKBA have made their decision, all failed asylum seekers should be deported immediately using whatever means necessary, including forced removal.
When asylum cases are refused the UKBA should stop giving those asylum seekers any support – the decision has been made – immediate deportation should happen – and any person blocking the deportation should be arrested – our laws must be carried out.
Asylum seekers are not "chased here" – asylum seekers choose to come to the UK. And when the seekers come to Britain they never stop moaning, whining and complaining – you are a blatant example of the ungrateful seeker.
I am not interested on the so-called "suffering of asylum seekers", including your own so-called suffering. Asylum seekers and their "friends" do not give a damn as to where they get their money or those of my people who suffer when that money is taken from them and doled out to asylum seekers.
There are British people who are being denied life-prolonging medicines because the medicines are considered too expensive for use on the NHS. British pensioners, and others, are keeping their own heating down or off whilst paying to heat the homes of asylum seekers – asylum seekers do not pay to heat and light their council tax free and rent free furnished accommodation – the British taxpayer pays their utility bills. Our care homes and our NHS are deteriorating, more of our own people are becoming homeless. Thousands of my people are homeless and living on the streets and many of those are our own ex-soldiers. I and many others do not care if seekers and refugees and yourself are "living in the park ,bus stop , outside" – we do care about our own people.
More money is required, we have that money, but it is not being used to eradicate poverty within our own people. Obvious answer, stop funding refugees and asylum seekers. And stop squandering our money on their asylum and immigration support ‘‘charities’’.
Esam, time for you to get back to your own country, try and get yourself a job and work to support your own people. The mistake you are making is due to those supporters befriending you (many are paid £££’s to befriend you) – you are under the false impression that we in Britain feel sorry for asylum seekers. Not so, there is a fast-growing anger towards asylum seekers in Britain. As more British people become impoverished and destitute the anger will become hatred. Go back to your own country – you only take from us.
hi there raibert, I have printed out your comments and will ask Esam to reply, I don't think he has internet access. Free mobiles? I sugggest you read this http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/ourwork/…/RA_booklet_... before we continue the conversation, seems like you have some misconceptions about what asylum seekers are entitled to in the UK
Hi there Frida, I tried your "RA booklet" lead – result – The page cannot be found".
Free mobiles? ….
quote/ My SPECIAL DAYS OF THE WEEK – Part 3 August 5th 2009 by Miana Badd ….
When asylum seekers and refugees first arrive in Glasgow, they are given temporary accommodation at the YMCA. The British Red Cross Refugee Unit runs an outreach surgery at the YMCA. This is part of my role. Every Thursday from 1pm – 3pm, I go to YMCA, at 33 Petershill Drive, on 28th floor for the surgery drop-in. I always look forward to going there. I usually take two volunteers with me who speak different languages: Somali, Arabic, Bajuni, Swahili, Kurdish- sorani etc.
The Scottish Induction Service, which is situated in the same building on the 29th floor, refers newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees to our drop-in surgery. This allows us to help people as soon as they arrive in Glasgow.
Some asylum seekers have never gone to school and they cannot read or write. Some of them just manage to use a pen to make a line to sign forms. Some people want to sign with their fingerprints. That is why it is important that we are there to make sure they access our service. We knock on people’s doors, introduce ourselves and explain in details about the Red Cross. We also ask them if we can help them in any way.
Some people don’t have mobile phones so we give them an appointment either at the office for assessment or offer to pick them up from reception YMCA if they don’t know yet how to take the bus on their own to the city centre. Otherwise we give people a leaflet with a map to our office and tell them to wait for our call for an appointment.
When I am back at the office, I start matching them with volunteers to start the support. /unquote
First call on their new, free mobiles – probably “Get yourselves over here pronto, just found the land of milk and honey.”
You don’t think Esam has internet access …. surely Esam’s caseworker (supporter) must have informed Esam that he has access to the internet via various outlets – libraries etc. (more support for the ungrateful Esam)
To Esam Amin.
“In my opinion, UKBA does not listen to us and so we need to work hard for human rights of asylum seeker, we need asylum seekers to get organised, we need existing organisations to support us and we need everyone to learn more about asylum seekers, ask me questions."
"ask me questions."
I’ve asked you questions – why don’t you reply?
To Esam Amin.
I omitted to include some of the other ways in which you and other seekers are supported ….
Asylum seekers get free furnished, repair free homes and they do not pay to heat or light these loaned homes – the British taxpayers pay seekers’ utility bills. Asylum seekers are given free school and college education, free NHS treatment, free dental care, free specs, free financial benefits, free translation services and free legal aid to keep them in Britain when their pleas to stay come up again and again for legal hearing. Their children receive 100% child benefit and do not forget the circa £3,000 on offer to those who are prepared to go home – oh, nearly forgot, asylum seekers are issued with free mobile phones, and, here’s a question for you Esam – from whom do the seekers get their TV’s and TV license? Why do you feel you are not being supported?
they should give them nothing and send them all back to there home land instead of draining the uk dry with all they free cash they get. And we get f,all and will were born here
Do we know the status of those detained by the UKBA i.e. were they assylum seekers; and do we know why they were detained? The report successful expresses the opinions of the protesters but have we heard from the UKBA (I guess unhelpfully they don't discuss individual cases)?
I’m fed up of the lack of compassion in comments on news websites.
Migration, particularly when fleeing war or persecution, is not a crime.
At least allow asylum seekers to work. Many are stuck in limbo and are destitute because they have neither been granted leave to remain nor been flown to their country of origin so in the eyes of our government don’t exist as people.
How long will this silent apartheid go on?
"Migration, particularly when fleeing war or persecution, is not a crime." Asylum seekers claiming to have fled "war or persecution" – these claims have to be judged. Perhaps the detained eight have had their claims judged and decisions made that the eight have made no case to stay in the UK.
When the seekers arrive in the UK they know of the "not allowed to work" rule or if they didn’t they are made aware of this ruling. Why would any responsible employer employ a person whose background cannot be checked out – many of them arrive in the UK without passports or identification. Often they are uneducated, unskilled and can’t speak, read or write English – they are unemployable. I do not have the right to work, even in my own country. I must live by and meet certain rules and conditions and earn my right to work. I also must find a situation or person who will provide me with employment. If I choose to become self-employed, I must also accept these rules and conditions to enter into business. Asylum seekers do not meet the rules and conditions. For those outside of Britain who wish to seek employment here, there is a legal procedure which they can use. Jumping the employment queues by claiming asylum is not part of that procedure (rules and conditions). Work? Haven’t you heard? Britain is in a recession. The indigenous are looking for work.
Our Home Office / UKBA will gladly fly the asylum seekers to the seekers country of origination – all the seekers have to do is ask to be returned.
Esam Amin: “In my opinion, UKBA does not listen to us and so we need to work hard for human rights of asylum seeker, we need asylum seekers to get organised, we need existing organisations to support us and we need everyone to learn more about asylum seekers, ask me questions."
To Esam Amin – What human rights do you feel you do not have in the UK? Why do you feel asylum seekers are not organised – seekers and refugees have numerous support groups, many tax-funded, and campaigners acting on their behalf. And you tell us you seekers have an "Asylum Seekers in Bristol website" and you have a drop-in centre for asylum seekers where you work as a chef. Why do you feel you are not being supported?
And why shouldn’t our UKBA and Home Office "carry on with the process of detaining asylum seekers.” Detaining and deporting failed asylum seekers is an important part of their jobs – and our UKBA and Home Office should be and must be allowed to carry out their duties without criticism from you and others. Successful deportation is good for the UK economy.
The eight people were not "arrested" – they were detained. Part of the agreement asylum seekers enter into (supposed to) when they come to the UK claiming asylum is they report regularly to a designated place. For some reasons(s) our police have detained them. These asylum seekers, inc Esam Amin, have been given safety, why does he claim "Bristol is City of Sanctuary but is not safe for the asylum seeker"? Perhaps, the seekers think being in a city of sanctuary means they have permanent residence in the UK.
And why are the campaigners protesting about the treatment of the eight – oh, probably the beginning of their campaign to keep the eight in the UK.