[ad_1]
There was a clash in London on Thursday after a bus was sent to pick up asylum seekers and take them to Bibi Stockholm the barge was surrounded by protesters.
Dozens of demonstrators blocked the bus before it could board passengers, surrounding it on all sides. Hours later, hundreds were at the site, and bikes for rent were set up underneath.
Around eight asylum seekers living at the Best Western Hotel in Peckham were told a week ago that they would be picked up on Thursday morning by bus to move to Bibi Stockholm docked at Portland in Dorset, according to protesters.
The bus was then expected to pick up other passengers en route, but has so far failed to depart. The bus pulled up at around 8am on Thursday at Peckham Road bus stop before it was immediately surrounded by protesters.
Hours later, the bus was still empty, with police in several vans keeping their distance from the protest. Other activists and local people continued to arrive, carrying drums and loudspeakers. The people who had to be removed included teenagers who attend colleges in the area, according to protesters at the site.
One of the coordinators, Kojo Kirevaa of Black Lives Matter, said: “Our friends who are on Home office the hotel received word that they would be taken to Bibby Stockholm today.
Kyerewaa said they were given a week’s notice and that “because of the connections and relationships they have in the community, we were made aware of it and organized a discreet operation … so that they are not abducted and taken away”.
after the promotion of the newsletter
Kyerewaa said the protest was inspired by a similar at Margate last weekwhere a bus was prevented from taking 22 asylum seekers to the barge.
“We know residents don’t want to leave and we know Bibby Stockholm is a dangerous place for anyone to live. This is unsanitary and a man took his own life I’m there and there have been multiple suicide attempts by people who were told they were going to Bibi Stockholm.
“We have organized to prevent this and so far it has been successful. We have at least 50 people blocking this bus on Peckham Road right now.
Action is believed to be the first of its kind in London from 2022. when protesters gathered in the southeast London for hours to block a van carrying a man arrested for immigration violations.
Some of the rally organizers were from Black Lives Matter and the Southwark and Lambeth Anti-Raids network, while others were understood to be friends in the community, including those who taught the asylum seekers English at the college.
Home Office sources described the visit as an “asylum seeker relocation” rather than an “immigration visit”.
A spokesman said: “Accommodation is allocated to asylum seekers without choice and asylum seekers can make representations if they feel they are not suitable to be moved to Bibby Stockholm. These are fully considered before a decision is made.
“We are continuing to implement our plans to significantly reduce the use of asylum hotels by closing 150 by early May and working closely with accommodation providers to manage the departure process in a way that limits the impact on both local authorities , as well as on asylum seekers.”
[ad_2]
