Kenmure Street protests

Common card · No. 481483

On the morning of 13 May 2021, two Sikh men of Indian origin living on Kenmure Street in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow were taken from their home and detained by the Home Office in a van on the street for alleged immigration violations. In response, neighbours and advocates organized a sit-in protest and surrounded the van for eight hours, during which time Police Scotland became involved, until they were released. Immigration advocates criticised the detainment of long-term residents in the community. In addition, the timing of the raid came under scrutiny as it was conducted on the dawn of Eid in a diverse neighborhood with a high concentration of Muslim residents and during the transition of government following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. The protests also led to a broader debate over whether Scotland should be subject to the United Kingdom's immigration policies, particularly the Home Office hostile environment policy, and statements in support of Scottish independence.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Thomas Nugent, CC BY-SA 2.0