Scuffles as deportation demo blocks road

Apr 13 2007 By Leda Reynolds, Birmingham Mail

AROUND 150 protesters brought traffic to a standstill during a demonstration outside the Home Office's immigration centre in Solihull yesterday.

Police had to close Homer Road for more than two hours during the protest by the Congolese community about the deportation of families back to the war-torn country.

Babies were among the group which waved placards and sang songs during the lunchtime protest.

Police had cordoned off an area in front of Sandford House immigration centre but as the number of protesters grew, they were shepherded into the car park.

A skirmish between police and a protester then prompted the crowd to spill onto the road.

Two men were arrested and police chiefs drafted in reinforcements and diverted traffic away from Homer Road as the group set up a human roadblock with some lying down.

Police officers formed a line and stood shoulder-to-shoulder to contain the crowd outside the town's magistrates' courts which temporarily closed.

Mango Hote, one of the organisers, said the aim of the protest was to raise awareness about what is happening in Congo.

"Families whose children have been born here and never been to Congo are being deported back to a country which is far from safe," he said.

"Everyone knows there's a war going on and on March 28 around 300 were killed in Kinshasa.

"British people need to understand we're not economic migrants. We were granted asylum to live here and after five or six years, when people have ties and families, they want to send us back."

Nsabua Jarria, who lives in Sparkhill, said they should have been allowed to march in protest instead of being kept back away from the road.

"People need to know what we're protesting about and if they can't see and hear us, how will they know?" said the 30-year-old.

Supt James Andronov, of Solihull police, said one man was released without charge and another issued with a fixed penalty notice for a public order offence.

A Home Office spokeswoman said asylum applications are looked at on a case by case basis taking into account the latest information about that country and case law.