More than 100 asylum seekers held at two UK immigration detention centres staged overnight protests against the controversial 'one in, one out' scheme with France. Officers with riot shields, dogs and teargas were called in to quell the action at Harmondsworth, near Heathrow, and Brook House, near Gatwick.
Detainees said they were peacefully resisting removal to France, arguing that while France is generally safe, it is not safe for some who have received threats from people smugglers. Others fear being returned to their country of origin under EU law, where they believe their lives may be in danger.
The protests came as the first 'one in, one out' flight of 2026 took off on Thursday morning. The scheme, which allows the majority of Channel crossers to have their asylum claims processed in the UK while a minority are forcibly removed to France, has been criticised as ineffective by both supporters and opponents of asylum seekers.
Protesters sent messages describing peaceful demonstrations that turned violent when officers intervened. One detainee alleged he was beaten and locked in a room alone. Another reported that special forces used teargas, causing pain and burning eyes. A spokesperson for Captain Support expressed horror at the violence used to enact the government's plan.
Libby Kane of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) condemned the scheme as 'state-sanctioned human trafficking' and expressed solidarity with the protesters. As of Thursday, only 193 people had been forcibly removed to France under the scheme, with 195 legally brought to the UK in return.
