London Detainee Solidarty Network – Demonstration to support the Yarl's Wood hunger strikers
London Detainee Solidarty Network – Demonstration to support the Yarl's Wood hunger strikers
Come and show your support for the Yarl's Wood hunger strikers, who are protesting against Serco in relation to the terrible conditions at Yarl's Wood.
London Detainee Solidarity Network has called for a series of demonstrations beginning on Wednesday, 10 February from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., continuing on Thursday, 11 February from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and culminating with a mass protest this Friday, 12 February at 2.30 p.m. This demonstration will take place outside SERCO's offices, as they are subcontracted by UK Borders Agency to run the centre.
Please come to show support and solidarity with the women, children and families in Yarl’s Wood and publicly condemn SERCO.
LDSN asks everyone to bring banners and instruments. Additionally, there will be drums, media presence, t-shirts and banners, but we need a lot of people to make an impact.
The demonstrations will take place at Serco's offices at 18-22 Hand Court (off High Holborn), London, WC1V 6JF. See map below for exact location.
For more information on the demonstration see: http://london.noborders.org.uk/node/300.
A bit of background on the situation:
Yesterday afternoon, officers working at Yarl’s Wood – an Immigration Removal Centre run by SERCO - violently broke up the hunger strike that started on Thursday evening. The women were trapped and effectively kettled in a corridor for 8 hours with no food, water or toilet facilities. Others ended up being trapped outside in the snow for hours without jumpers, shoes or socks. Many were subjected to verbal assault and racial abuse. Many also suffered serious physical assault; in one known case a woman was left unable to stand and another woman’s finger was almost severed and many collapsed out of exhaustion. All the women involved were (and in most cases still are) denied access to medical treatment and ambulance and police were denied access to the centre.
The Guardian has briefly covered this issue:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/08/hunger-strike-women-detention-yarls-wood-protest
Photo Courtesy of:
http://rememberpauline.wordpress.com/