Protesters force UK immigration officers to release 2 men
By: Two men detained by immigration officers in Scotland have been released from a police van to huge cheers from a 100-strong crowd who amassed around the vehicle to prevent the pair being taken away from their home in Glasgow. An hour, long stand-off between activists and dozens of police had ensued in Kenmure Street in southern Glasgow from Thursday morning, after two immigrants were taken from a flat there by immigration officers.
Police were filmed trying to remove protesters, many of whom sat in the road to stop the UK Home Office van moving, while one man even manoeuvred himself underneath the vehicle. The Home Office action was widely condemned, including by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she was “deeply concerned” by the scenes. Later in the day, Police Scotland said in a statement that Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland had decided to release the two men “back into their community” in order to “protect the safety, public health and wellbeing” of all those involved in both the detention and the protest. Videos from Kenmure Street on Thursday afternoon showed the men being released from the back of the van by officers to cheers and applause from the surrounding crowd.