PRESS RELEASE: SERCO officers in Yarl’s Wood IRC, violent, racist, sexist & vindictive

Press release from Black Women's Rape Action Project (bwrap@rapeaction.net), 06/12/10

On 6 December at 2pm Ms Jane Uyi was physically assaulted and verbally abused by several SERCO guards during one of their routine monthly searches of women’s rooms.

Ms Uyi and her room mate were body searched by two male officers and one female officer. Their room was then ransacked. An officer known as Clifford was threatening and abusive and called her an “illegal immigrant and a prostitute” breaching her confidentiality by revealing aspects of her asylum claim to other women and officers present. Deeply upset at the ferocity and viciousness of the officers, Ms Uyi shouted back and demanded that he put the room straight. The woman officer began to help but was prevented by Clifford who called for back up from his manager. On arrival instead of asking what had happened, the manager and two officers bent both Ms Uyi’s hands back, and pressed her against the wall. They pulled out some of her hair. Several of the other women who had come to the room on hearing the disturbance saw what was happening. One tried to defend Ms Uyi but was pushed away.

Solidarity with the Yarl's Wood Hunder Strikers, Demonstration Friday 19th February

AT SERCO OFFICES, 18-22 HAND COURT, HOLBORN, LONDON WC1V 6JF. FRIDAY 19th FEBRUARY, 2.30pm

Over 50 women have been on hunger strike at Yarls Wood Immigration Prison near Bedford since Friday 5th February, demanding their immediate release from indefinite detention.

Serco, the company that runs Yarl's Wood on behalf of the UK Border Agency, has tried to brutally repress the hunger strike, most notably on Monday 8th February when Serco guards locked the hunger strikers in a corridor for 8 hours without access to water or toilet facilities.

Solidarity with Yarl's Wood hunger strikers!

DEMO IN SOLIDARITY WITH YARL'S WOOD HUNGER STRIKERS
WEDNESDAY 17th FEBRUARY
6.30pm-7.30pm, OUTSIDE HOLLOWAY PRISON, Parkhurst Road, London N7 0NU

On Friday 5th February 84 women started a hunger strike in Yarl's Wood Immigration
Detention Centre near Bedford, demanding their release.

On Monday 8th February the hunger strikers were locked up by the centre's guards for 8
hours, without access to water or toilet facilities. Four women were picked out as
"ringleaders" and were taken to various prisons. All are now incarcerated in HMP Holloway.

Demo in solidarity with Yarls Wood hunger strikers, Fri 12th Feb

London Detainee Solidarity Network have called for a demo this Friday at 2.30pm in support of the Yarls Wood hunger strikers.

The demo will take place at Serco's offices at 18-22 Hand Court (off High Holborn), London, WC1V 6JF. Serco manage Yarls Wood on behalf of UKBA.

Please bring banners and instruments.

For more info about the hunger strike see here

Women on Hunger Strike in Yarls Wood

Since the 5th of February 2010, we the residents at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre are on hunger strike which involves over 84 + women, who are protesting against the period of time spent in detention and the treatment that they receive while being detained.

The strike was sparked to protest and demand that the frustration and humiliation of all foreign nationals ends now.

Solidarity protest for Yarls Wood hunger strike - this Friday midday-2pm

In solidarity with the detainees on hunger strike since Tuesday in Yarls Wood immigration prison in Bedford, a protest has been called this Friday 19th June, from midday-2pm at the offices of Serco (the company that runs Yarls Wood).

Please bring banners and instruments!

Address: Serco Institute, 22 Hand Court, off High Holborn, WC1V 6JF

More info about the hunger strike: