On Saturday 29th
November we joined campaigners outside Campsfield House to
demonstrate for the closure of the Detention Centre. Over 50 people
from local, national and international groups congregated in
Kidlington to march to Campsfield.
We brought banners, horns, drums
and voices to make a noise and show our solidarity with the people
inside. Some of us scrambled up trees while others shook the fence.
We walked through muddy fields to get to the back of the detention
centre, where the detainees could hear us more clearly: “DETAINEES
– FREE THEM NOW”. Over the megaphone we read out phone numbers
that could be called by people who needed legal advice or a friendly
person to talk to. We felt a deep solidarity with the detainees as we
chanted together over the 16ft fence.
We had to leave
at 2o’clock as in the past visitors to detainees have only been
allowed in when all campaigners have left the premises. We had been
talking to some members of Movement for Justice who told us that,
even though it is difficult to make visible, it is resistance from
inside centres like Campsfield that is key to ending detention.
They
said that in fact this kind of resistance is happening in detention
centres across the country and see our role as supporting their
struggles. That is how it felt as we were leaving when a loud and
powerful voice came from a group of about 40 people in the courtyard.
“FREEDOM!” one man called and the group responded, “FREEDOM!”
It was exhilarating to feel their strength, but we were also scared
about how the authorities would contain that power.
Two hours after
we left a detainee with mental health issues was seriously assaulted.
Detainees reported that he was left in a critical condition after
being beaten up by Mitie security guards. Between 60 and 100
detainees occupied the courtyard to protest against his brutal and
unlawful treatment and the inhuman conditions people suffer during
detention. Two other detainees were hurt by guards in the ensuing
struggle and sustained minor injuries. At least three others were
forced into solitary confinement.
One detainee
said, “All they are trying to do right now is not let the news get
out of this centre. I would like to say if there is anyone who has
any feelings please, please speak for us.” We must not let the
noise of the resistance be dampened in a remote field outside of
Oxford.
The demands of
the 60-100 protesting detainees are:
- Permission to see their friend in order to see what happened to him
- Release of the (at least 3-4) people forced into solitary confinement
- Punishment for the guards who beat up the detainee
- End to inhuman treatment, deprivation of freedom and separation from families
See video footage: https://vimeo.com/113244678
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