‘Hundreds’ of protesters barricaded themselves around Immigration Enforcement (IE) vehicles as officers attempted to conduct a raid at a restaurant in Chorlton over the weekend.
At around 7pm on Friday evening (August 12), officers visited a premises on Barlow Moor Road, which the M.E.N has chosen not to name, following intelligence received by the Home Office. Upon their arrival, a number of people attempted to disrupt the raid with placards and by blocking vehicles from exiting.
Police were called to the scene to ensure the safety of IE officers and others present. Two people of interest were said to have been encountered by the immigration officers but no one was detained during the raid.
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Members from local groups Stand Up To Racism and the Manchester Socialist Worker Party were amongst the protesters in attendance. It was reported on social media that the raid involved workers at a restaurant, although this has not been confirmed.
@socialistworker tweeted on Friday: “Another victory for militant action against deportations. A week before the Manchester Tory election hustings and the day before the Caribbean Carnival, immigration officers tried to seize a worker from a restaurant in Chorlton, South Manchester today. They were defeated.”
The account added: “Stand Up to Racism mobilised 150 people to block the Home Office van. The individual was released to their home and the police and immigration officers left. Well done to all involved. #RefugeesWelcome #migrantswelcome Stop all deportations.”
@AntiRacismDay tweeted: “Well done and #solidarity to all in #Chorlton Manchester who surrounded a home office raid van tonight! These are our neighbours- let them go! Great to see more hands on anti racist resistance to the government's racist hostile environment.”
The Home Office said all enforcement raids are intelligence led and they have a duty to investigate each potential breach thoroughly.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is tackling illegal immigration and the harm it causes by removing those with no right to be in the UK.
“We continue to work with law enforcement agencies to tackle illegal migration in all its forms. Our New Plan for Immigration will fix the broken system; making it fair to those in genuine need and firm on those who seek to abuse it.”
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