Justice for Jimmy Mubenga - campaign update

[ Article from the Insitute of Race Relations ]

Jimmy died on 12 October 2010 after an attempt to deport him to Angola on a BA flight. According to news reports Jimmy died after allegedly being restrained by three guards from G4S, a company contracted (at the time) by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) as escorts.

Exactly a month after his death over 200 people, led by Jimmy's family marched from the Angolan Embassy to the Home Office to hand in a letter calling for Jimmy's family to be given indefinite leave to remain and an inquiry in to the use of force in the deportation process. (Read an IRR News story on the demonstration here).

150 march today to demand justice for Jimmy Mubenga

Today, Friday 12th November, 150 people marched from the Angolan Embassy near Baker Street to the Home Office near Parliament Square to demand justice for Jimmy Mubenga, the 46 year old Angolan killed during a deportation from Heathrow exactly one month ago.

Reports from the demo: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Demo in memory of Jimmy Mubenga, 12/11/10

Demonstration in memory of Jimmy Mubenga RIP
Died while in the hands of G4S private security guards

Friday 12 November 2010

Assemble 10:30am @ the Angolan Embassy, 22 Dorset Street, London, W1U 6QY. (Nearest tubes: Baker Street, Marylebone).

March to the Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.

On 12 October 2010, Jimmy Mubenga an Angolan man died during a forced deportation from the UK. The Guardian reported that Jimmy was handcuffed and restrained by three private security guards on a British Airways flight from Heathrow. Shortly before he died, Jimmy was heard by other passengers crying out for help.

There have been fourteen deaths (twelve men and two women) since 1991 during forced deportations. The official cause of death in most cases was positional asphyxia or cardiac arrest. Of the fourteen that died, ten were Africans (of which six were Nigerians).

PRESS RELEASE: Death of Angolan man following violent deportation attempt

London NoBorders condemns in the strongest terms the violence that led to the death of Jimmy Mubenga following an attempt to deport him to Angola earlier this week.(1)

On Tuesday evening 46 year old Jimmy was put on BA flight 77 from Heathrow to Luanda. He was accompanied by three security guards from G4S who according to eyewitnesses violently assualted him. An ambulance was called to the airport and Jimmy was taken to Hillingdon Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. (2)

Man dies after deportation attempt on BA flight to Angola, 12/10/10

On Tuesday 12th October a 46 year old Angolan man died upon arrival at Hillingdon hospital where he had been taken by ambulance from Heathrow airport. He was being deported by 3 private security guards on a BA Flight 77 to Luanda when he fell ill. A post mortem is underway.

For more details see this Guardian article.