The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Two men arrested after protest over asylum seeker evictions
GLASGOW: Gates of government offices chained
Two men have been charged with public disorder offences after a protest outside the Home Office against plans to evict more than 300 asylum seekers.
Police were called to the building on Brand Street in Glasgow at around noon yesterday.
Two men, aged 45 and 58, were arrested in connection with the incident, Police Scotland said.
They were later charged with minor public disorder offences and released by officers.
Mohammad Asif, from the Scottish Afghan Society, claimed around 40 people took part in a “peaceful protest” during which the gates of the government offices were chained.
“We chained the gate as a symbolic gesture – if I lock you for one day, how do you feel for one hour? And then you are destroying their lives forever,” he said.
It came as two Afghan nationals Rahman Shah, 32, and Mirwais Ahmadzai, 27, staged a hunger strike outside the building. Mr Asif said the two men have had nothing to eat or drink since Wednesday. They were spoken to by paramedics who were called to Brand Street during the protest.
The two men are among at least 300 asylum seekers facing eviction by contractor Serco after being refused refugee status.
The public services group, employed by the Home Office, revealed plans last weekend to begin changing the locks on accommodation.
The group said it has provided accommodation for months in some cases for those without the right to remain in the UK, without recompense from the Home Office and at a cost of more than £1 million a year, which it claimed should be borne by the local authority.
The leader of Glasgow City Council said these costs should be borne by the Home Office, and she repeated calls to Home Secretary Sajid Javid to step in and stop the evictions.
Susan Aitken also said the council’s lawyers are looking at ways to “supersede” UK law to those facing eviction.