Glasgow protesters rejoice as men freed after immigration van standoff (video)

Campaigners have hailed a victory for Glaswegian solidarity and told the Home Office “you messed with the wrong city” as two men detained by UK Immigration Enforcement were released back into their community after a day of protest. Police Scotland intervened to free the men after a tense day-long standoff between immigration officials and hundreds of local residents, who surrounded their van in a residential street on the southside of Glasgow to stop the detention of the men during Eid al-Fitr. Staff from Immigration Enforcement are believed to have swooped on a property in Pollokshields early on Thursday morning and detained people. By mid-morning, a crowd of about 200 protesters surrounded the vehicle, preventing it from driving away, and chanting “these are our neighbours, let them go”, with one protester lying under the van to prevent it driving off. “I’m just overwhelmed by Glasgow’s solidarity for refugees and asylum seekers”, said Roza Salih, shouting to be heard over the jubilant shouts of “refugees are welcome here”. She added: “This is a victory for the community.” (…) As cheering protesters escorted the men to the local mosque, Pinar Aksu, of Maryhill Integration Network said: “They messed with the wrong city. “This is a revolution of people coming together in solidarity for those who others have turned away from”, she said. Aksu described how hundreds more supporters had arrived at the scene as the afternoon progressed. “This is just the start. When there is another dawn raid in Glasgow, the same thing will happen.”

Libby Brooks in Glasgow protesters rejoice as men freed after immigration van standoff (Guardian)