Dawn raids protest in plea for support

AREFUGEE charity rallying round a family targeted by a Home Office dawn raid is calling for Glasgow to unite and stop dawn raids.

Maryhill Integration Network (MIN) is supporting a 67-year-old man and his family after eight immigration officers attended his property and told him he would be detained.

The man, who has launched a fresh asylum claim, collapsed and was taken to hospital.

Now a protest is to be held in Glasgow tomorrow against the controversial practice, which activists believed had ended thanks to the high profile campaign efforts of the Glasgow Girls.

Pinar Aksu, of MIN, said: “We are absolutely furious and are still very shocked with what has happened to our friend, but I’m glad we’ve managed to raise awareness.

“There is real fear in our community about this happening.

“At the No Dawn Raids protest on Saturday we want to bring as many people as possible together to say, ‘This is unacceptable’.”

Pinar said the charity has become aware of further dawn raids in the city, beginning in January, despite the tactic having seemingly ended years ago.

Last week, eight immigration officials arrived without notice at the door of the MIN member, causing extreme stress and interrupting the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Pinar added: “The family is very scared and living with that fear is what is more traumatising because you don’t know when people are going to turn up at your door.

“It’s taking someone’s human rights away and is an insult to the person, not treating them in a dignified way.

“When you have new people arriving here and they see having this practice, people are automatically feeling scared.”

Dawn raids have had political condemnation with SNP MSP Alison Thewliss offering support to the family and Scottish Greens co-convenor Patrick Harvie speaking out against the practice.

Saturday’s demonstration begins at 11am in George Square.

Councillor Kim Long said: “It’s so alarming to hear that the Home Office are carrying out dawn raids again in Glasgow.

“This is a barbaric practice, stripping people of their dignity and their rights to legal advice.

“Forcing people from their beds into a detention facility is bad enough; to do this during a pandemic is utterly inexcusable.”

The Home Office said it takes the health of those being detained “extremely seriously”.

For information about the No Dawn Raids protest see: www.facebook.com/ events/579959126316388