OUTLANDER actor Sam Heughan has praised the “incredible” work of Glasgow protesters who forced the Home Office to release two men detained in a dawn raid.
Activists and local residents headed to Kenmure Street in Glasgow yesterday after learning two Indian nationals had been detained. They surrounded the Home Office van, with one protester even squeezing himself underneath it to prevent the vehicle from leaving the street.
Amid a heavy police presence, the protesters stayed for hours. Later they were joined by Aamer Anwar, who told the crowd that police, activists and himself had signed an agreement that the men would be released.
Just before 6pm the pair were released as the huge crowd cheered.
Last night a Home Office source told the BBC that it was “completely unacceptable for a mob to stop the lawful removal of people living in our country illegally”.
Meanwhile, the First Minister demanded that the UK Government “never again” allows a similar situation to come to pass and said that the one Tory minister she managed to speak to showed “no empathy” for those involved.
The scenes in Glasgow were reported across the UK, with many praising the dedication of the protesters.
READ MORE: Glasgow triumphant as Home Office forced to back down on dawn raid detentions
Heughan, who plays Jamie Fraser in the historical drama, was one of them. “Incredible stuff from the people of Glasgow. Proving there is great humanity and empathy, despite being dictated to by those in power in Westminster, who clearly don’t care,” he tweeted last night.
Incredible stuff from the people of Glasgow. Proving there is great humanity and empathy, despite being dictated to by those in power in Westminster, who clearly don’t care. #KenmureStreet
— Sam Heughan (@SamHeughan) May 13, 2021
The SAS: Red Notice actor is vocal about his support for Scottish independence, and has heavily criticised the UK Government in the past.
In a blistering attack on Boris Johnson and the Tories in December, Heughan said that they had led the "UK public astray on this ridiculously small-minded, hopeless, jingoistic nonsense".
He shared The National’s front page on Nicola Sturgeon appearing on CNN to discuss independence, and wrote: “Time to escape being dictated to by buffoons.”
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