Peckham solidarity forces immigration officers to abandon raid

Peckham raid


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The people of Peckham came together over the weekend to push back against an immigration raid. Over the course of an afternoon, the crowd swelled from a handful of people to hundreds. Immigration forces and police were there to take away a man for “immigration offences“. He was being held in a van.

However, after Lewisham Anti-Raids tweeted for support, people came to help:

People were able to spread the word online:

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Some people sat down and laid down their bikes:

Members of the public have previously been able to halt immigration raids by getting in the way of police vans and officers. In May 2021, people in Glasgow gathered to stop Border Force officials from taking men away. And this year, in May, another crowd in Edinburgh forced immigration officers to back off when they were trying to detain residents.

It’s a real testament to people power:

Police violence

However, none of this is to say that everything went smoothly in Peckham. Plenty of people on the ground shared disturbing footage of aggressive police.

In one video, screams ring out as police try to push through people:

And one person observed how we can use our bodies for resistance:

Another added that while filming cops is essential, it’s not the only thing to do:

After all, if this is how the police behave when they know they’re being filmed, what else could they be up to when cameras aren’t pointed at them?

“Shame on you!”

As the police gave up and started to leave Peckham, people cheered and chanted “shame on you”:

There were also chants of “don’t come back to Peckham”:

Moreover, it’s important to remember:

Community solidarity isn’t sitting around with neighbours to celebrate an undemocratic coloniser like the Queen. It’s taking care of neighbours by resisting police violence. It’s responding to calls for aid. It’s coming together to protect people from racist immigration policies.

Peckham, just like Glasgow and Edinburgh, showed everyone how it’s done.

Featured image via screenshot – The Mirror/YouTube

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    1. I live in Greater Manchester, I know Peckham. I read that this has just happened this weekend. Hundreds of people came together in solidarity to push back an immigration raid, and winning by using their bodies. It started with seven individuals, calls for support were answered. In four hours the raid was abandoned and the man released from the van. Brilliant..now we in the NW must also support our neighbours, through this hostile environment.
      10 years of the Hostile Environment – 10 years too long!
      “Solidarity knows no boarders”. This is a national week of action…13th 19th June and a few more days..

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