Further update on SOAS occupation

I attended a meeting tonight regarding the United Campaign Against Police Violence, as it was near SOAS I was able to discuss the situation of the occupation with a couple of people who are active within the campaign. The more what comes out about this the more vile and disturbing it is.

Out of the 9 cleaners, 6 have been ‘removed’ (‘deported’ to you and I) but nobody seems to know where the other 3 people are being kept. So they have ‘disappeared’ into the ether or that racist shit-hole Serco run Yarls Wood.

One of the cleaners ‘removed’ is six mths pregnant, another cleaner has a heart problem and was denied access to water. Basic human rights and civil liberties were denied to these people.

Those close to the situation have explained that cleaners were summoned at 6.30am on Friday to attend what they were told was an ‘emergency staff meeting’ – instead they found themselves in a closed space where over 40 immigration officers in full riot gear were waiting to arrest them. At the
detention centre, they were denied access to legal or union representation
and no interpreter was provided, so that many of them, as native Spanish
speakers, were unable to communicate. It is believed that immigration
officers were called in by ISS, the cleaning contractor, even though it has
employed many of these staff for years.

The distress and fear these people experienced is unimaginable. The private cleaning contractor ISS has known about the immigration status of these workers yet was happy to exploit them but when they start to campaign and fight for better pay and conditions…. immigration is contacted. The message is simple: keep your mouth shut or else.

We cannot let SOAS management and ISS get away with this…

It seems that negotiations with SOAS director have resumed, the threat of eviction has been lifted. But for how long?

Please see the blogsite about what you can do to show your solidarity with these workers.

Support the occupation and their demands.

I will write a report about the UCAPV meeting tomorrow and the plans for the 10th July protest outside the IPCC…

Btw: the pic isn’t great quality as taken on my mobile phone.