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CAMPAIGNERS from throughout the UK converged on Durham right this moment to show in opposition to the imprisonment of girls on the Derwentside Immigration Removing Centre.
In what they’ve known as their largest demonstration thus far in opposition to the controversial centre, about 200 individuals are gathered on Palace Inexperienced, at Durham Cathedral.
The House Workplace started detaining ladies on the facility – previously Hassockfield Safe Coaching Centre, at Medomsley, close to Consett – on December 28.
Learn extra: Anger at plans for refugee detention at Hassockfield website
The detention centre has capability for 84 ladies to be locked up at anyone time, and replaces Yarl’s Wooden as the principle website the place ladies are detained for immigration functions.
Protestors say they’re involved that immigration detention is “deeply retraumatising and dangerous”, pointless, whereas claiming ladies are being held in Derwentside detention centre with out entry to justice.
The protest was held close to at Durham Cathedral’s ‘Sanctuary Knocker’. Anybody who used the ‘Sanctuary Knocker’ could be provided respite, meals, drink, bedding and different requirements.
Residents, who say they have been by no means consulted concerning the potential makes use of of the location, joined people who’ve skilled the “hostile immigration atmosphere” to protest.
The demonstration comes within the wake of latest bulletins of the extension of the detention regime abroad, with campaigners branding the Migration and Financial Improvement Partnership with Rwanda as “merciless and inhumane”.
Learn extra: Durham County Council states opposition to Hassockfield plan
Agnes Tanoh, Detention Marketing campaign spokesperson at Ladies for Refugee Ladies began a petition in opposition to the brand new detention centre that has been signed by over 16,700 individuals.
She stated: “I understand how detention destroys a lady, as a result of I used to be locked up for over three months at Yarl’s Wooden detention centre, earlier than the Authorities accepted that I’m a refugee. I witnessed the struggling of susceptible ladies whereas I used to be there.
“The Authorities promised to scale back its use of detention due to the hurt it causes, however they broke this promise by opening Derwentside detention centre – the primary one to open in over seven years.
“I don’t need extra of my sisters to be locked up like I used to be, I need them to be handled with love.
Protest is an act of solidarity. Collectively now we have one robust and loud voice!”
Mary Kelly Foy, MP for the Metropolis of Durham added: “I’m essentially against the detention of susceptible refugees. As an alternative of this dehumanising course of, I echo the decision of human rights activists that asylum claims must be resolved in the neighborhood with out the trauma of detention.
Learn extra: Vigil held at Derwentside Immigration Removing Centre
“I’m talking on the demo as a result of I believes it is the accountability of politicians to talk up for the underrepresented and to make sure that there is a County Durham MP current to talk up for the local people.”
Margaret Owen a Human Rights Lawyer with a particular deal with the rights of girls and women in addition to asylum seekers and refugees, stated: “These detentions should not simply totally illegal, violating worldwide human rights and humanitarian legal guidelines and naturally the 1951 refugee conference, however they’re so callous, so merciless that I’d outline them as torture.
“Priti Patel makes me ashamed to be a UK citizen since her actions have so broken, belittled our standing and status on the earth.”
Kate Fox, poet, author & broadcaster, says: “Basic rights and freedoms are being eroded day by day & the proposed detention centre represents a devastatingly dehumanising means of coping with ladies who want help and care.
Learn extra: Consett demo in opposition to new feminine asylum detention centre
Gulwali Passarlay, former Afghan little one refugee, now graduate, campaigner for the rights of these searching for sanctuary, and writer of best-selling e book ‘The Lightless Sky”, says: “I’m a former refugee from Afghanistan and have been campaigning and elevating consciousness about refugees, making a optimistic dialogue about asylum and safety.
“I’m coming to the protest due to this merciless, injustice and inhuman determination to construct a detention for refugees, not to mention for ladies. I’m offended, annoyed, with this racist and hostile coverage of detaining asylum seekers, particularly ladies.”
A House Workplace spokesperson stated: ”Immigration removing centres corresponding to Derwentside allow the UK to take away overseas nationwide offenders and people with no proper to be within the UK. That is what the general public expects.
“Susceptible individuals are solely detained when the proof of vulnerability is outweighed by the immigration concerns, corresponding to danger of non-compliance with immigration bail or for the safety of the general public.
”The Nationality and Borders Act, which lately acquired Royal Assent to change into legislation, will repair the damaged asylum system, making it simpler to take away these with no proper to be right here, and fairer to those that want our assist.”
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