On Thursday evening anti-deportation campaigners rallied in Peckham to condemn the mass deportation of Nigerians scheduled later that night (26 January 2012). The demonstration was a small tribute to a man on an 8-day hunger strike in protest against his deportation.

Protesters from the "No Borders" network brandished a banner demanding “Stop Deportations To Nigeria” and played music as they marched from Peckham Rye Station to the Library. The protest was well received by the largest British Nigerian community signalling a positive start to an outreach campaign aiming to raise awareness and forge links with local people. Passers-by shared stories of their personal struggles against the inequalities of the border system. One man explained that the UK Border Agency detained him for a year and deported his brother despite both living in Britain *since childhood*.

Stop Deportation activists have struck at the heart of the Government’s
“unjust deportation machine” and halted the planned removal of Tamil
refugees to Sri Lanka.

Five campaigners blocked the road outside Colnbrook and Harmondsworth
immigration prisons with ‘lock-on’ devices and a tripod shortly after
11am.

They are joined by many more supporters, including members of the Tamil
community.

See Indymedia report here.

*Demo this Thursday 8th December outside Nigerian Embassy 12 noon*
Mass deportation charter flight scheduled for this day

Up to 70 Nigerian migrants booked on this flight - they face homelessness
on return. Nigerian Immigration Service co-operated with UK Border Agency to organise the flight - demand the Nigerian High Commissioner ends their collaboration!

Meet at midday outside Nigerian High Commission, 9 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, LONDON WC2N 5BX or at 11.30 on the SOAS steps.

Bring banners and drums!

If you can't make it please call the Head of Immigration at the Embassy
Tel: 0207 353 3776 Ext: 208 Email: isa@nigeriahc.org.uk

Media enquiries to soas_detainee_support[AT]riseup.net or (+44)07438 185 537

21st June 2011
For immediate release

Anti-deportation campaigners are blockading Colnbrook and Harmondsworth detention centres in a last-minute attempt to stop the forcible deportation of Iraqi refugees to Baghdad on a specially chartered flight scheduled to leave London this evening.

30 angry protesters from No Borders, Stop Deportation and other groups are blocking the joint entrance to the two detention centres near Heathrow airport. Six of them have encased their arms in glass and plastic tubes attached to concrete barrels, while others are holding banners and shouting slogans against the 'brutal deportation machine.'

Three coaches carrying over 30 of the deportees to the airport have not
been able to leave the complex. Another 30 are supposed to be taken at the same time from Brook House detention centre at Gatwick airport and Campsfield House in Oxfordshire. In total, it is expected that the flight, scheduled to leave an undisclosed airport at 11pm today, will carry
between 60 and 70 deportees, accompanied by twice as many private security guards and immigration officers.

Update at 8.30pm

Currently 5 Reliance vans are in the Colnbrook/Harmondsworth complex preparing to transport the detainees out of the rear entrance of the complex. It is unclear where these detainees will be taken.

It is understood that the Immigration Advisory Service has obtained an injunction against the flight but it is unknown whether this applies to some or all of the potential deportees.

The blockade of the front entrance continues. Police are now on the scene.

Final update, 9pm

Great news! It has been confirmed that this evening's charter flight has
been cancelled.

The blockade has now finished and none of the blockaders have been arrested.

There’s a joint charter flight from UK and France today (20 October 2009), leaving Lille airport at 22:00. There will be a demonstration at 20:00 at the airport in Lille.

Around 50 Afghans detained in various detention centres in France are expected to be on the flight. The only details on the UK part for now is that the flight is leaving from there.