People are testing positive every day. There are no masks, no sanitisers, no nothing.

From a person in detention since September 2021

I’ve been in detention for five months. They took me to Brook House first, and I was kept there for a month. They refused my request for release, saying that the Home Office was about to make a decision on my case, so there would be no point. From Brook House they took me to Colnbrook, where I was for another month. Then from Colnbrook they moved me to Harmondsworth, where I’ve been since.

I’ve been really struggling here, I’ve been in a really bad state. My mental health has got worse. I’m getting really bad headaches, bad nightmares, and my anxiety and depression have got worse. They treat us worse than animals. You have to share a room, there’s no privacy. There’s a toilet, a sink and a bunkbed. They lock us in the room from 9 at night until 8 in the morning, 11 hours. There’s no ventilation, no nothing. There’s a window, but it’s triple glazed, you can’t even… There’s no way of breathing. It’s just locked, a thick door. It’s like a proper jail. Some people here have been to jail before and they said it’s exactly the same. They even handcuff us when they take us to hospital for appointments. For two hours a day you can get access to computers to check emails. Everything else is banned – Facebook, YouTube, everything. You can only access your emails, just two hours a day. Also, you get cleaning jobs, laundry jobs – you can work in the kitchen for like three hours, or clean the floor for one or two hours, and they give you just two pounds for that.

There are so many people – about 60 in our wing. They’ve been sort of neglected. Officers here, they’re harsh. Three officers are okay, but most are really harsh, they really don’t care. You have to beg them for anything – seeing a doctor, getting clothing, anything. They just put things in computers, and say “we can’t do anything”. They force you to share your room, and if you say you don’t want to they threaten to put you in ‘the block’ – that’s a place where there’s nothing, no TV, nothing, and you spend a couple of days there.

People are being detained for like two years, three years. Some people want to go back to their countries, and they’re not sending them back. There’s an old guy from India, he’s over 60, and he’s been in detention for the last 11 months. He wants to go back to India because his wife is not well. They’re not sending him back. He’s in a really bad state. So many people are stuck here for months or years.

People are testing positive every day. There are no masks, no sanitisers, no nothing. The sanitisers have been empty for months. There’s no PPE, no nothing. We feel vulnerable, especially those who are older and have other health issues. But they don’t care. I was watching BBC Parliament and there was a debate about detention centres. The lady said, “Oh we have weekly meetings with the detainees about outbreaks.” This is a lie. No meetings have been happening. And there’s nothing to sanitise with. We couldn’t have any visitors up till a few days ago, but then we all mix here. Then they do lockdowns – we had a 15-day lockdown last time, with no internet, stuck in the wings, the corridors. You couldn’t go anywhere else in the detention centre. Detainees were really depressed because we had nothing to do. And somebody like me with mental health issues, it’s really hard. I sit in my room and watch telly. In spite of this outbreak, they still bring loads of detainees every day, spreading the virus. No precautions or 2-metre distance, nothing.

They say they can’t keep people who suffered abuse, torture, any sort of sexual exploitation, and yet there’s loads of people who are victims of torture and abuse here. This is what I say to them – you’re doing the same to me. It’s abuse. You lock us up here for 11 hours a day for what? What are we going to do? You just feel so lethargic. A person with bad mental health gets worse every day here. Recently, some people have been self-harming here. There was an ambulance here the other day. But they are trying to keep it quiet.

I’ve been helping people here, because most of them can’t speak English, I’m filling their forms, speaking to officials for them. I wrote to my MP, I’ve written to the Indian High Commissioner – I’ve been raising my voice, but I’ve been threatened. They say I’m raising my voice too much, that I’ve been asking too many questions. I’ve just been saying the truth. I’ve worked hard for my life here in the UK. I need to get my rights, get my life back.

I was married here under British law, why are you pushing me back to my country?

I can stay here because my husband is British and I fulfil all the requirements. I did one year before and we did everything. As an attendant I did one year, and then they refused me.

When I was in appeal they tried to remove me. I said that my appeal was still pending. They said they couldn’t find anything about my husband. They said I wasn’t living with my husband. Said I wasn’t compliant.

But how can they know? How can they say I’m not living with my husband?

I gave proof of ID, proof of address, but still they did not believe me.

Despite everything they have called me non-compliant. I have 8-10 emails which I sent and the Home Office sent me. I have evidence that I have complied. I have responded to everything.

I did comply and I am still living with my husband, but they said I wasn’t and that I was non-compliant.

On the 9^th October 2017 they refused me. It took them one year to make this decision.

On the 17^th October 2017 they took me and detained me. Gave me a ticket. “You aren’t supposed to be here”. Said you must go back to your country.

I called my husband and lawyer crying. I was in Colnbrook.

They didn’t give me an appeal right. They wanted to deport me and for me to appeal from my country. But I want to fight from here. I have the proof here. How can I fight from there?

I was married here under British law, why are you pushing me back to my country? My husband is here. I want to be here.

My judicial review is in Court, I’m not sure how long they will keep me here.

I have applied for bail.

I fulfil everything, the requirements, but still they are saying no, I must return to my country.

I was out when they came for me at my husband’s.

It’s really unlawful what they are doing.

We are locked in our rooms. They just said “pack pack pack”. They haven’t said why.

They are taking us, the flight is tonight.

We have friends in Brook House, they are preparing them to go on the flight tonight but they don’t know what time or from where. No one has said anything to anyone Colnbrook. We heard from someone in Brook House. They are taking us, the flight is tonight. 

They are forcing us. On Tuesday the guy had me by my neck, pushing me pushing me. They took us at night, we have no idea where they re taking us. We were all terrified. Even if you want to go to the toilet on the coach someone goes with you. You spend your pennies and the guy can see your pennies. We are not children, we are not animals. 

For me they didn’t even give me removal directions. No official removal directions – we got the 10 days notice. I put in a Judicial Review to cancel my ticket but I’ve been told they can’t cancel the flight without removal directions. 

The Home Offce said i have no grounds to remain in UK. I have fiancé, we have been together for three years and I am a father to a child. I was released on the fact there is a child involved. The Home Office don’t care. The Home Office want to overlook this. I haven’t done anything wrong. Some of us have wives here, have children. We don’t want to leave our loved ones.

Last week this guy said he wouldn’t go. Two commanders came, one commander used his elbow in the guys back and he fell to the floor. They other put something in his arm. They came at night and they took him. They took him back to his country. He was shouting shouting and because of the injection he went unconscious and they took him like that. Why would you be wearing masks? They were wearing masks so you didn’t know who they were. 

Write it down – I am telling the truth. They don’t want the world to hear it thats why they are doing it in secret. We need you to do something today as well. Some of us are not ready to go. We have wives here, we have children.

You guys outside need to do something for us, you need to help us.

At about 1.30am they told us the flight had been cancelled.

I have been in the UK since 2010. In 2015 I claimed asylum, they asked me to sign at the immigration centre every week, later this was changed to once a month. I have done this until 2016, when I had an interview in Croydon. They refused my asylum, but the last thing the Home Office  said to me, is that they would not take me away from the UK. In February  2017, I was at home, I heard a knock at door, there were ten police officers, and 2 immigration officers. They took me to the police station, and from there to Colnbook detention centre. After 1 month they still did not release me.

I have a 3 month old baby. My baby was in hospital for 1 month when I was in the detention centre. After 1 month, they gave me removal directions to Nigeria for the 28th of March. I contacted my solicitor they sent information about my situation to the Home Office but they ignored it.

If they take me back to Nigeria- what about my 3 month old baby? My partner is HIV positive, she is not working- she has to look after the baby, because of her medical condition, she can not cope without me. She is crying everyday. What happens if I am deported away?

Last night, they called my name around 5pm to get on the coach and go to Stansted airport. Once we got to Stansted, the officer’s told us there was a “small delay”. We couldn’t see the protesters from the coach. On the bus there was 1 guard to each person. You need 2 guards to go with you to toilet on the coach, they come into the toilet with you. There were maybe 30 people were on the coach. The were different coaches from different detention centres. The guards did not tell us what was happening. At about 1.30am they told us the flight had been cancelled. We got back to the detention centre at about 4.30am.

We are very happy about the protesters. Now we want to be released. We are not criminal. I never committed any crime.

If anyone can help us to get released from detention we will be really happy.

…they don’t like all kinds of things, government is not allowing. So they just abused me, kicked me. I tried to escape from them, that’s why I am here.

I came from Nigeria in 2010, the problem is, I got problem with my ex-wife. During that time I met a white guy ,R, he came to Nigeria. We met and along that, he liked me, he looked after me, that’s why I go with him. During that problem I don’t know where is my wife and my kids, its a long situation. You know in Nigeria, they don’t like all kinds of things, government is not allowing. So when people get out with white people, so they just abused me, kicked me. I tried to escape from them, that’s why I am here.

I met another people here, because of fear from my country I was here you know, I tell them about my story, they know what I am up to. He said don’t worry I will take care of you in this country, but then he treat me badly and abused me. Its a long story. I then left his house, to be honest I slept outside in the train station for 2 weeks before I get another place to stay. It makes me sad when I remember it. In detention here, a lot of people here different different story, what I know some people don’t like me now, I cant go back to my country. So I have to find ways to make myself, what I try to do, people that I met here just try to put me through, that’s why I am in detention here, because someone gave me the document to work, and then they caught me when I was working. I did not want to steal anything, I just wanted to feed myself and make my life comfortable for me. I just used it to find something to feed myself, how am I supposed to think about it. Because I am not a scrounger, I used this country to save my life. I am not here to disrespect this country or disobey the law. Just before I lack in education, I didn’t know what is right, what is not right. Until I get this problem, I met different people.

We share what happened to us here in detention, people can say okay I am a drug dealer, I did this and that. So if I said them about my story they say I am not supposed to be here and in like that. All I know here different people that are, they are not supposed to be here.

I applied asylum this year and another friend and they approached me with asylum, my application made in January this year , I applied for bail last week it was rejected.

My fear is if I have to go back, they know about my relationship with me and R that’s why I had to come here, this kind of thing they don’t allow it in my country, people no allow it, and government is not allow it, if they catch someone like that they will be killed and they will be put in prison , and secondly like my life, when I remember, that memory for my, I lost my family, my wife, I didn’t see them, I don’t know where they are , like since 2009 my life is too sad, I care about my life and I just do it on my own. I don’t know why this thing happened to me.

Thanks for protesting for our rights. People are so depressed here.

Thanks for protesting for our rights. People are so depressed here. Some of them are detained here from one year. We are not criminal but they treat us like criminal . We appreciate your efforts. Thanks again.

They are really grateful for the protest.

7 guys all in the one room. They are really grateful for the protest. It is really helping them. They are grateful. They say thank you.

I think the protest is a good one.

I think the protest is a good one. To make people aware that mass deportation is mass slavery. They should not be deporting people – because I’ve still got my case pending in the upper tribunal. Why could they not let me finish my case and let me know if I have right to remain or not. I have put in an injunction to stop my removal – and I hope it will stop. I’m waiting for the judge. They’ve moved us to the G wing that is the section that they lock people like a prison. It’s just simple overstaying – they don’t need to be treating people like that. It’s human and degrading. It’s just punishment. Right now I’m feeling so bad. I’m feeling that there’s no human rights at all.

It’s like we don’t matter.

One of the things I find daunting is the treatment of the detainees at Colnebrook.

I was arrested on Tuesday. I was put in a bus to travel a long way to Lincolnshire, to Morton Hall detention centre. No Home Office official inducted me there, they just asked my name and told me I’ve been arrested because I’m an overstayer. I stayed one night there. They did not tell me anything when they brought me back down to London.

The right thing to do would be to address me as a human. But no one spoke to me. They didn’t tell me that they were moving me to London, to Colnebrook. It happened when I was about to go to the bathroom, I hadn’t gone to for breakfast yet. They took me, and carried me to Colnebrook. They’ve put me in a unit for quick removal. Some people have been here a week.

I’ve lived here for 8 years. I have been a lecturer in this country. I’ve trained hundreds of engineers in this country. I’ve done loads of community work.

I have been living in Newcastle for the last 8 years. I’ve worked with a local charity and the Salvation Army. They do a lot of community work. Through the charity I’ve been working with students on ICT at Sunderland University. The MPs know about me, they’ve been writing letters. I’ve also lectured at Newcastle College on Engineering.

The Newcastle college employed me but then the Home Office advised them not to sponsor my application. The situation I am in was created by the Home Office. I wasn’t an unemployed person – I was giving lectures. A judge advised me to seek legal advice for a case against the Home Office. But in England we don’t have legal aid so I couldn’t challenge it. So my job ended because of the Home Office and the story started from there. Now I’m in detention. I cannot get justice. I do not have money to get my job back.

I want people to know: The strict immigration system has strangled me in this country. It prevented me from having the funds to prevent this becoming an issue. It’s important for people to know that the Home Office caused this problem in the first place.

My DBS record is clean – I challenge anybody to challenge it. I don’t have any record of doing any wrong doing in this country. I didn’t choose to be here. Because I’m just an individual, I cannot get justice.

It is good to document what is happening here. There are more people here. I can see that there are people here who are going through excruciating pain. They are denying people access to their husbands and family. It’s like we don’t matter.

People would be better off if they had better access to legal aid in immigration. Immigration is one of the major issues in British society today.  There are men here with children outside. Detention is taking their fathers away. Do you think those children would be happy tomorrow? It is creating a societal problem.When people have issues, it’s better to deal with them than throw the whole family into hardship. How should children carry on without fathers and without mothers, in a complex society like ours.

So more legal aid, help get justice for families and for the poor. It’s so important when people have no right work.

My lawyer made a mistake in my case. It’s basic element of humanity – we are not infallible as humans. But when there is a basic error and they admit it they should say okay we’ll seek a way to correct it. But they made people pay a heavy penalties for these errors by taking them out of the country, taking them out of their job. We are all humans yeah. And one of the elements of humanity is we make mistakes. And the law firm made a mistake but when we appealed they said it was out of date. And between these two stages it cost about £5000. And if we continued further I might have won but it would have cost so much more money. How can I pay that? And you’re not working because you can’t work. This is what I mean by being denied justice. Why is it like this?

You claim to be the crème de la crème of the in societies in the world. But where is the justice and the fairness here?