Unity 4: Another victory in Glasgow!

The Glasgow Defence Campaign reproduces below a message from the Unity Centre in Glasgow on the dropping of all charges against four activists arrested in November for blockading the gates of the UK Border Agency building in Ibrox. The GDC congratulates the activists on their victory and the ongoing campaign against the brutal repression and dawn raids being waged against asylum seekers in Scotland. Again, it proves the importance of publicly challenging political repression and political policing aimed at harassing and intimidating all those who take a stand. Onwards!

Victory for Unity 4!

In all of the excitement before the Unity Centre closed for the winter holidays we forgot to let people know what happened at the court with the four people who had been arrested for blocking the entrance of the UKBA reporting centre in November.

During the protest over the dawn raid and detention of single mum, Funke, and her five year old son Joseph from their home in Govan, three people locked themselves to the gates of the reporting centre using bicycle 'd-locks' around their necks. At the same time another protester climbed to the top of a 5 metre high tripod made out of scaffolding poles.

Whilst the three were removed by police after about three hours, Jamie on top of the tripod remained in place for a total of 11 hours coming down at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Throughout the day the road outside the UKBA reporting centre was sealed off by a large contingent of police and a large, good natured crowd of supporters kept up chants and singing.

The fab four were due to have their first hearing on 22 December scheduled to start at 10.00am. Not expecting the hearing to start straight away two of the defendants were late getting to court only to discover on their arrival that the case against them and their co-defendants had been abandoned by the procurator fiscal and all charges had been dropped.

All defendants and their supporters therefore retired to a local cafe for a celebratory breakfast!

Strathclyde Police 0 – 4 Unity!

:-)

Happy New Year to all of our friends and supporters!

The UNITY Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow
G51 1AQ