HUNDREDS of protestors have surrounded a Home Office van in a bid stop a dawn raid eviction.
Locals in Kenmure Street, Glasgow, came out in their droves as news spread that a family were being removed from a property in the street by immigration enforcement officers.
By lunchtime, around 200 protestors had surrounded the Home Office van with the family inside.
More than 30 police officers were drafted in to form a human barrier around the van as locals refused to back down.
They have been unable to move the van because one protester has crawled underneath, and is refusing to move.
Hundreds of Glaswegians have turned out in Kenmure Street to protest immigration enforcement officers removing a family from the street pic.twitter.com/Tt0pojZ0pL
— Abbi Garton (@abbi_garton) May 13, 2021
Chants of “These are our neighbours, let them go” and “shame on you” to officers came from the crowd.
A large police presence had both ends of the street locked down as locals, in some cases holding small children or with their dogs, created such a crowd that the van had nowhere to go.
Glasgow MSP Alison Thewliss was among those to condemn the Home Office action.
She said on Twitter: "This is absolutely awful, but heartened to see local residents in Pollokshields standing up for their neighbours and refusing to accept the brutality of the UK Home Office.
“I am taking this matter up with Ministers. Not in our name."
This is absolutely awful, but heartened to see local residents in Pollokshields standing up for their neighbours and refusing to accept the brutality of the @ukhomeoffice.
— Alison Thewliss (@alisonthewliss) May 13, 2021
I am taking this matter up with Ministers. Not in our name. https://t.co/UiVKZNArVm
A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Around 9.55 am this morning, Thursday, May 13, 2021, police were called to support colleagues at the UK Border Agency at an address in Kenmure Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow.
"A number of protesters are now at the location. Officers are at the scene and enquiries are continuing."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel