Original subtitles

This is Immigration.

These people are here.

I think this is part of that new... Home Office dawn raid thing.

The Home Office Immigration Enforcement.

This man just ran underneath to stop the van.

Hey, folks.

Who's all here as part of the protest?

Anybody?

Anyone here protesting?

Hey, John, it's the Home Office raid,

the dawn raids.

Hi, Jonathan. Hi, Jonathan.

I'll take one, thank you.

Police officer: Alright, pal?

You alright still, down there?

You got some water?

You need anything else?

Give us a shout if you do.

Who's under the van?

Police officer: Keep going.

We want them to have the choices.

Let the other guy go.

Getting a bit cold now.

Let them go!

We're trying to keep as much of a sterile space in here as possible.

The prisoner removal team's going to come in and try and get them out soon.

Protestor: Guys are trying to pray there, guys. It's a mosque. It's Eid.

Protestor: The prisoner removal service?

Cameraperson: People celebrating, like, and living.

Stop deportation!

No borders! No nations!

Stop deportation!

No borders! No nations!

Stop deportation!

Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go!

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

We won't leave! Until the people are free!

We won't leave!

- Who are you guys filming for? - STV.

STV.

Crowd: We won't leave!

We won't leave!

Let them go! Let them go!

God knows how many vans are here now, police vans.

Just for two men.

Let them go!

We've not seen so many police

in Pollokshields in such a small area before.

They were everywhere.

Council tax, mate, everything.

All the tax we pay, mate.

You don't need to lie to anybody.

It's all on social media now.

People are live here on Facebook.

Never abuse your power.

Disgusting.

Let them go!

Let them go!

Let them go!

More vans have parked up.

There's a lot, there's a lot of them.

Yeah, yeah. It just seems very unnecessary.

Like two guys that they could just let out.

Yeah, exactly.

Does it really mean that much to them?

They've got the whole community out now.

They're coming into this community on Eid.

Yeah, look.

Cordoned completely off.

Salam alaikum, Asif.

How are you?

I was at the prayer.

- Yeah, I've been here for a while. - What's happening here?

Two men, they've got two men in the immigration van.

And they won't let them go.

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

That's a leak under there, that's worrying.

Have we worked out what the leak is yet?

Uh...no.

We have a couple of ideas and this man said, 'We'll send our sergeant round.'

Our sergeant went round and didn't look at it.

All of the cops near the leak have now backed away from it

and we still don't know what it is.

Everyone gets nervous at a time like that.

At first, I didn't know what was going on.

After a few minutes, I realised why we weren't moving.

There's a person underneath.

When the police began to intervene, that's when I knew: there's someone underneath.

I'm a mechanic myself.

Another one or two people get into the van.

Their weight goes onto him.

Even more weight on him! There are six people in the van now.

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

These are our neighbours!

Let them go!

Let them out!

OK, can you ask him if...

I'm not, no, I'm not...

They have a right to legal representation.

Their lawyer needs to know that this is going on.

I don't know if a solicitor's aware of what's happening with them just now.

OK?

And if you, as a concerned member of the public, wish to phone a lawyer,

then I can't stop you from doing that.

No, but I don't want to phone a lawyer now,

if they've already got a lawyer and the lawyer's not aware,

because that's just a waste of everyone's time.

No legal agent has made themselves known to us.

- Can you ask them? - Crowd: Let them go!

Let them go!

No justice, no peace! No racist police!

No justice, no peace! No racist police!

No justice, no peace! No racist police!

We're here on Facebook Live, we've been here the whole time.

Eid Mubarak, everyone, this is how I'm spending my Eid.

Crowd: Shame on you! Shame on you!

You're not wearing any face mask, are you?

Get back.

I've got my hands behind my back.

You're putting your hands on me, not the other way around.

Right, well don't come to me then.

Protester: OK, so nobody's assaulted anybody.

Everything's calm.

Why don't you stay back and leave it alone?

Stay here.

Typical, typical.

What did I say to the sergeant?

If youse don't escalate it, it won't get escalated

and yet youse have escalated it.

- Police officer: I'm lawfully touching you. - No, you're not.

No, you're not.

- No, no, no. - He's not moved!

He's not moved!

This community hasn't given you...

...do you know about policing by consent?

This community hasn't given you consent.

Please don't push me.

Don't push me.

Don't push me.

You've approached me.

You've approached me.

Just step back, he's doing nothing.

Just look around.

BBC cameras, Scotsman, STV, everywhere.

Do your job.

Go and get the two kidnapped guys out of the van.

They've got no powers to do what they're doing.

Let them out.

Do your job, and then we'll go home.

Come on tae fuck, man.

Abusing that uniform, man.

Bullies! Bullies! That's what you are, bullies!

Smile, mate.

Smile to all these cameras.

Smile, mate, smile.

You're going to be trending in Glasgow.

No justice, no peace! No racist police!

No justice, no peace! No racist police!

Got any water, mate?

Let them go! Let them go! Let them go!

When everyone else arrived, the noise got even louder.

We knew they were fighting for us.

We heard it all.

The lady Immigration Officer asked me:

'Who are you?

Who are you that all these people have gathered here?

In Pollokshields, who are you?'

I'm nobody. I'm normal.

We would not have a mafia from London who can take us

from our houses and throw us in the van.

Stand tall and nobody's moving until those people are released.

Let them go! Let them go!

Get off him!

Get off, please!

Arrest him for what?

Let her go!

You do not need to do this!

Let her go!

Let her go!

Let her go!

Let her go!

De-escalate it and take it away!

That doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want.

She's done fuck all!

We're not going anywhere!

You're pushing people against...

Move, move! Get back!

Just let her go!

De-escalate the situation.

Get back!

Get your hands off me!

Get back, get back!

Get back!

Get back!

- Shut up. - Get back!

Look, excuse me.

Can I speak to you honestly?

This officer, excuse me, this officer, he's the worst officer I have ever seen.

The worst...

You have no respect for women, for children, for nobody.

This guy is the worst man I've ever seen, this guy.

Listen, you're a police officer, get your guy...

This guy, send him home.

Trust me, send him home, this guy.

I don't want to speak to anyone. That's it.

I'm telling you, this guy, send him home.

You know, he should be cutting potatoes.

Get back, get back.

Get back, get back.

Move to side.

Protestor: Don't fucking push me, wee man!

Keep moving.

Off the road, please, off the road.

Off the road, off the road!

Guys, get off to the pavement!

Off of the road!

You can walk on the pavement.

Get on the pavement.

Get off the road.

They want this to become ugly.

So we're not going to get ugly.

We're going to continue the peaceful protest,

no matter if it takes one day, two days, three days.

If they have the time, we have the water.

Folks, listen up, listen up.

The police are issuing orders.

They're moving their vans.

They are going to get prepared to move this van.

If they try, everybody has to sit on the ground.

I want to see a show of hands!

Who's prepared to get arrested?!

Who's prepared!?

Do not allow them to move us.

If we're standing, they can push us back.

If we're sitting, they're going to have to lift every single person,

and they cannot do that.

Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!

Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go!

- Hello. - Hi, Agnesa.

Can you tell me exactly what happened on Sunday morning?

They came inside the room, I was sleeping.

When I heard immigration, I screamed.

Hello?

We started a petition for Agnesa's family and hundreds of people signed it.

I'm afraid, they come to our door in the middle of night

and they take us away like Agnesa.

That's where all the Scotland people have seen us, so it's good.

Agnesa was one of my best friends.

I knew her for like about three years and I was very upset about what happened.

Ground!

Refugees are welcome here!

Refugees are welcome here!

Refugees are welcome here!

Stop!

Scum! Scum! Scum! Scum!

We're trying to get them out the of van.

We're all on the same boat here, mate.

If you want an ambulance through, fair enough.

If youse come in shoving people when there's a big crowd, that causes stuff.

If youse come up and speak to people properly, it's fine.

But if youse come in heavy-handed, people will stand their ground.

Protestor: Put the paramedic through. We'll let him through, no bother, mate.

Seriously.

I will personally let the paramedic through, send them through.

Hey there, buddy, you can film but can you just stand back

while we're discussing with the paramedics.

Alright, it's to do with personal information.

You guys still not sent the paramedic through?

Cops go home! Cops go home! Cops go home!

The police, they are doing their work but you shouldn't be here.

I respect your daily job but you shouldn't be here.

In 2005 I campaigned with my friends to stop

the inhumane detention and dawn raids.

We see this again happening in our great city, Glasgow.

Shame on the police being here protecting the immigration and the UK.

Shame on you!

Crowd: Shame on you!

I was watching. I saw the police make a chain and charge the van.

I've spent half my life here.

This is where our family has been made.

I came here in my youth and I've made my friends here.

I wanted to stay here, that's why we were fighting the case.

I did have a lawyer, my case was ongoing.

This is wonderful, trust me.

You are an example for the rest of the United Kingdom

or whatever kingdom you call it.

I hope that Scotland parts company with an imperialist state soon.

I don't know these guys, you don't know these guys.

We're here...anyway I'm going to cut my speech, I have my very good friend here.

Police described him some years ago that,

"You are a black man with a big mouth and your big mouth needs to be shut!"

So his mouth is getting wider and bigger and he's here.

My very good friend Aamer Anwar.

Eid Mubarak to everybody in our community.

The first thing I want to say is this:

What that Immigration Enforcement van did, the Home Office did,

by picking today of all days - one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar -

was deliberate.

It was provocative

and it was intended to incite this.

What the hell did they think they were doing by bringing an enforcement van

right into the heart of Pollokshields?

We should be proud of the fact that these pictures

are going out right across this country.

That every single politician,

including Nicola Sturgeon, and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice

have tried to pick up the phone

to the Home Secretary, to the Home Office

For some reason, that Priti Patel and her racist government

are not answering the telephone.

There is only one way that this is going to end today

and it is simple and the message is clear

to Police Scotland, to the chief constable, to the area commander

that people want this to be resolved peacefully.

They want to go home to their families

but there's only one way this is going to end:

that the two men in that van must be released without condition!

In order that the Home Office learns...

In order to de-escalate...

Crowd: Let them go! Let them go! Let them go!

If the Home Office wishes to de-escalate the situation,

there is only one way they can do this:

Open the van doors. Let those men go.

So our community can go home to our families!

And there is a simple message to Police Scotland today:

What exactly do you call community policing?

What do you call policing by consent?

We take no pleasure in having to do this

but we will not let our neighbours be dragged out of their houses

off their streets,

or any more dawn raids.

We have the Glasgow Girls amongst our midst!

We showed the way forward to the people of Scotland and to the United Kingdom

And we will do so again

as this racist government ratchets it up trying to divide us.

They will not divide us!

Black and white, unite and fight!

Thank you, Aamer!

Let them go! Let them go! Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go! Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go! Let them go! Let them go!

I was nervous.

I didn't want to leave.

- People! - People!

- People! - People!

- Power! - Power!

- People! - People!

I have a message from Police Scotland. Please listen!

...having taken the well-being of all people involved in the detention...

and subsequent protest on Kenmure Street, Pollokshields today.

Chief Mark Sutherland has,

following a suitable risk assessment, taken the operational decision

to release the men!

They're letting them out!?

We should make a path for the detainees.

So they can go and walk to their home in dignity.

With their heads held high.

And most importantly,

this teaches the lesson to the rest of the United Kingdom

that the people of Scotland should not be messed with.

The people of Glasgow should not be messed with.

Right, can I just say... we've negotiated with the police.

Negotiations have come off.

We have an agreement, it is in writing, these men will be released safely.

They will not be arrested, there will be no enforcement action against them,

and I have an agreement that they will then...

The police will form a cordon around the van with myself and the two men.

And then we will be walked to the mosque where they will be released.

I would ask everyone to disperse so that the vans, the horses,

the police officers can disperse from this community.

Everyone in this community should be extremely proud of what we have achieved.

One last message, I am going to go to the van

when I get told to go to the van,

the police will need you to move back.

Right, move, I will need you to move back

in order that we can get the two men out.

And when they say move back,

I don't want anyone to try and do any antics.

We won this today but we have got big battles ahead,

and also don't forget we have the demonstration for Palestine on Sunday.

No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

There will be no vandalism, there will be no bevvying

because the world is watching us.

First of all,

What I want to do is to thank every single one of you.

You've done an incredible thing today.

You've come out and stood up against the hostile environment.

You have come out and stood up against the Home Office.

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done today.

We have done together an amazing thing.

Thank you.

I am so proud of all of you, I am so proud of Glasgow, I could cry...

Thank you all so very much.

Please make some space so we can have some...

Go back, please, go back down.

Go back please, yeah.

Can we have some space...

What we've done in Glasgow today is going to change the narrative

and framing of asylum and immigration.

Thank you.

The family appreciates your support.

But this is the last few very important moments.

When these two men are taken away, everybody stay in their places, please.

Thank you for your support, thank you.

Let them go! Let them go!

We felt it vibrate underneath,

we could feel him moving out.

We could feel it in the van.

People have surrounded the van, they're moving it.

It felt to me as if everyone was connected with the van.

The people united!

Shall never be defeated!

When I was released, I stepped out,

I looked up to check everything's fine,

that my dad is watching what's going on.

I felt so happy that all these people

have come together for us.

The people here won't stand for injustice.

They stand for each other, not just for me, but for each other.

Refugees are welcome here!

Refugees are welcome here!

Thank you, thank you!

Start moving back, please!

Our Eid became more colourful.

Please listen to instructions, please listen to instructions.

Please make way, please make way.

Please, thank you.

Crowd: Bye, bye, bye!