The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) is running a series of training workshops during March, April and May for voluntary sector organisations working on race/refugee or migrant issues. The free half-day practical workshops on fundraising, the media, immigration and racial violence will allow for the exchange of information and provide practical suggestions for effective campaigning.
Geography: South-East England
Plans for third detention centre near Gatwick meet opposition
Controversial plans for a removal centre in Crawley have come under fire from local campaigners. No Borders Brighton wants Crawley Borough Council to reject plans to turn the Mercure Hotel on Povey Cross Road into a removal centre. The group claims the design of the 254-bed hotel means it could only be converted to house
London demos against border control and surveillance
London No Borders is holding a day of demonstrations in London to protest against border controls and increasing domestic surveillance. Under the banner ‘Life is too short to be controlled’, the demonstrations will begin on Saturday 23 January at 2pm at St Pancras International to protest at the border controls at the Eurostar Terminal, where
Death of Chinese woman at Heathrow under investigation
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has begun an investigation into the death of a Chinese woman following her release from custody after being arrested at Heathrow airport. According to an IPCC press release, in the early hours of the morning of Thursday 12 November, 35-year-old Jianping Liu was arrested as a suspected overstayer in
Racist murderer and accomplices convicted
Last week three young men were convicted for their involvement in a racist attack in August 2008 in Hastings which led to the death of Mohammed al-Majed, a 16-year-old Qatari student. George Austin (22), Alexander Quinn (19) and Paul Rockett (21) faced a two-month trial at Lewes crown court where they denied various charges in
TB kills ex-Colnbrook detainee
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has recently published a report into the death of a Zimbabwean man in September 2008 who had been released from Colnbrook immigration removal centre (IRC) a few weeks before his death. The unnamed 32-year-old Zimbabwean man came to the UK in 2002 on a visitors visa which he overstayed.
Godfrey Moyo – prisoner or patient?
On 6 July 2009, an inquest jury recorded a highly critical verdict of neglect in the death of Godfrey Moyo in HMP Belmarsh. Twenty-five-year-old Godfrey Moyo, a Zimbabwean, died while on remand at the Category A Belmarsh prison on 3 January 2005 in the early hours of the morning after suffering an epileptic fit. Godfrey’s
Remembering Habib Ullah – one year on
On 3 July 2009 the Justice for Habib ‘Paps’ Ullah campaign held a vigil and public meeting to mark the first anniversary of his death. The vigil outside High Wycombe police station from 3-7pm was attended by over sixty people, giving the campaign the opportunity to draw public attention to the death. The highlight came
The ordeal of Kessie Moyo
The refusal of a visa to attend the inquest of her son’s death added to the grief and distress of a bereaved mother. On 3 January 2005, Godfrey Moyo, a 25-year-old Zimbabwean who suffered from epilepsy, died at Belmarsh prison after being restrained face down outside his cell by prison officers. The inquest into his
Asylum seeker stitches eyes and mouth in protest
An Iranian asylum seeker has sewn his face up and is on hunger strike in protest at his ‘inhumane treatment’ in immigration detention. Fariat Mohammadi, an Iranian asylum seeker who fought against the Islamic regime in Iran, has been held in detention since his arrival in the UK eleven months ago. Currently held in Colnbrook