Birita's dawn raid.

The call came just after 6.20am. Caren, an Asylum Seeker from our church, rang to say they had come for Birita and her son Brian. I left messages with as many folks as I could, then jumped on my bike. The two immigration vans with blacked out windows gave it all away - they were still at her house. I knocked at the door, and a police officer opened it 4 or 5 inches. 'I've come to see Birita and Brian' I demanded. He said he would see the commanding officer, then shut the door. after a while, I banged again hard. after more exchanges I was finally allowed in. There was Brian's girlfriend, looking very distraught. I explained that this dawn raid was illegal, that Birita had a fresh claim in the system.

The police officer told me that Birita must have broken a law if they had to be here in her house - I said that she had not, she was doing everything legally - it was they who were acting illegally. I demanded to speak to the commanding officer, and eventually a female immigration officer came down stairs. I asked for the telephone number of her superior, and was given the number for Alison Clarke, senior immigration officer at Waterside. I rang and told her that Birita had a claim in - I even had evidence on me, which I showed to the arresting officer.

I was told to wait outside, and I refused, saying that I was going to pray with Birita in her own house before they would be taking her anywhere.

Brian came down, they told him to sit on the sofa. He was extremely distressed, crying. I offered to make some tea, and he got up to make some for me - he was told to 'get back down' 'I just want to make the pastor some tea!' he said. I sprung up and got between Brian an the officer. 'I'll make a drink' I said.

When Birita came down, I sat beside her, she was in great shock. I prayed for her safety, and against these inhuman dawn raids. I hope I made them all ashamed, but I doubt it. Alison Clarke rang me back and assured me that they would keep Birita at Waterside until her solicitor had a chance to 'clear matters up'.

This was a lie, and I later heard that she was shipped off to Yarlswood almost immediately, and before 9am, when her solicitor was due in.

As the family were escorted out, Andrew, Phil and Bobby arrived. Phil took photo's which really upset the immigration officers. As they drove away, we were all completely gutted, but made an action plan for the day, inviting Brian's girlfriend to help, and contacting Birita's daughter Sheila.

The whole process is sick. State sponsored child abuse. They even admitted later that they had 'lost' her fresh claim that was sent in in February. If they had processed it properly, she would never have had to face her third dawn raid, and her second time in Yarlswood.

As I write this, Birita and Brian are in Kenya, flown back after a special secret hearing denied her fresh claim. Brian is in a terrible way. Pray for them, pray hard. Then join in the struggle for Justice for All who seek sanctuary here.

April 1st - more seriously!

The G20 demo was a success on many fronts. Up to 8000 swarmed to the Bank of England and had their voices heard over the madness of bailing out those whose bosses were stealing from the people. Threadneedle street was momentarily full of jugglers and dancers, hammocks strung between lampposts.

More were at the anti war rally at the US embassy (Obama announced 21,000 more troops for Afghanistan) and even more set up a climate camp outside the 'Carbon exchange'. Larger turn outs were put off by the trumped up announcements of the police of intended anarchist violence.

The violence I saw came mostly from the police.

It was deliberate ,it was nasty, and I'm sure permission came from high. From 'kettleing' to beating people on the back of the legs, to using Shields as weapons, I witnessed it all. This was all well before the now notorious incident where a paper seller was struck, then pushed to the floor. He later died from internal bleeding despite an earlier hurried post mortem in which a corrupt coroner claimed he had died from a heart attack.

All this caught on the cameras that new legislation says we are not allowed to use on the police.

One can easily see why they have made it a crime to catch them in the act.

His death will not change the culture that has infected the polices response to legitimate protest. They see us as the enemy, an inhuman one at that. They have gone too far, and there is little that anyone in power is prepared to do to stop them.

Maybe this death will make some police officers think twice before they follow their orders, but we must keep filming and try to hold them accountable for their actions.

April 1st

Can't believe that a whole month has gone by since my last blogging session - I nearly missed telling you about the events of April 1st. It was a very successful April fools day - and here are some of the joys:

As part of the G20 summit celebrations, Waterstones bookshops are giving away books by the G20 leaders before noon. Obamas 'Dreams of My Father', Browns 'There's Power in the Union', Lula's 'Politics, Football and Me' are all part of the G20 giveaway. For those of you not going down to the G20 celebrations, grab one of these freebies at participating stores (Bradford Uni Branch included)Peace and Love,Chris

This email caught out double figures, as church members rushed to the Uni store and the Waterstones in town to collect there freebies before twelve....

One Street Angel went down to the BBC offices in the museum to take part in an interview on 'people who like to dress up in uniform'

Many believed Joel and I when we told CND and others that our coach driver (we went to London that day for the G20 protests) had been arrested outside the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and that we were now picnicking and protesting there instead.

A historian on the coach was told by me that Keir Hardy's real name was Albert, but he had to change it because the working class would not vote for a 'royal' name. I also told him that the original Independent Labour Party charter was signed by not only George Bernard Shaw (true) but also David Copperfield!

Joel also endured me telling him that he could only have sex with his girlfriend (17) if he obtained written permission from her parents, or he could end up on the sex offenders register.

Many also believed that we only used grape juice at SoulSpace because the draconian anti-drinking laws meant we could no longer get a license.

A beautiful day, especially for Louise, who believed she was about to become a surprise Aunt!

Boy, have I really got it coming to me next year!

Age of Stupid

One of the most depressing things I have ever sat through. This film looks at the present through the lens of the future. Basically, the earth is decimated by climate change, and a lonely museum curator looks back at why it all went wrong. Pete Postlethwaite doesn't so much act, as just sound miserable.

It is a worthy film, but I'm not sure what the outcome of it is. It suggests that human nature is so flawed that there is very little chance of change and hope. Is that true? Will our short termism mean we cannot end our race to the bottom?

I must believe otherwise, or even those of us dedicated to change will give up hope.