by Kev Kiernan | photos by giacinta frisillo

A vicious and cruel attempted deportation in Pollokshields was recently drowned in a sea of solidarity by local people.

What began as a Home Office raid on two men, which saw them snatched from their home and bundled into a van, ended with an awe-inspiring victory march of around a thousand angry protesters.

The authorities were forced into a humiliating climbdown as it became increasingly apparent their brutality was not going to be tolerated.

Over the course of the day many hundreds of people surrounded the immigration van in Kenmure Street, even as more and more officers from Police Scotland arrived.

The raid happened just before 10am and it did not take long for nearby residents to put a stop to proceedings. Within only a few minutes of the men being snatched, one heroic protester managed to wrap himself around the axel of the Home Office van and held tight. The vehicle would not move an inch for seven hours.

By late afternoon, around 50 police vans and several mounted horses were assembled in the vicinity, despite the completely peaceful protest by people defending their own community. Only that very morning – on the day of Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan – did Police Scotland write on Twitter that they wished Muslims “a blessed and safe Eid Mubarak”. Surely laying siege to Pollokshields and lining up dozens of cops outside a mosque was not quite hitting the correct tone in one of the country’s most diverse areas?

After a fierce stand-off between members of the local community and police, the two men (Lakhvir Singh, a mechanic, and Sumit Sehdev, a chef) were set free and released into the safety of a nearby mosque.

The attempted deportation came despite the fact the two men, who are originally from India, have been in this country for 10 years.

As the morning turned into afternoon, the tension increased as those gathered around the immigration van began questioning the extraordinary and quite outrageous police presence. It was direct action from ordinary people which won the day. The crowd, which grew larger by each passing hour, simply refused to budge, chanting “These are our neighbours, let them go!” and “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.”

Just after 5pm, it was announced that Lakhvir and Sumit were to be released. Police Scotland suddenly decided it would in the best interests of public safety.

As the two men were let out of the back of the van an enormous roar ripped through the area as people jumped with joy. The protesters were escorted to a nearby mosque arm in arm with human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, while around a thousand people marched alongside them to ensure their protection from police and ultimately their safe release.

Read more: The two men are now receiving legal support for their case

Ensuring the men’s sanctuary reinforced Glasgow’s proud history of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. After all, the entirety of human history is characterised by the movement of people.

Our melting pot of a city is defined by migrants who have come here over the centuries and who have made Glasgow what it is today.

Every decent person should celebrate this truly beautiful victory, secured by a community coming together in solidarity against the British government, which had snatched two men from their own home.

The wonderful scenes at Kenmure Street have reverberated around the world and offer an inspiring glimpse of what ordinary people can do if they unite against 10 Downing Street’s attempts to create a “hostile environment” for people simply attempting to live their life in this country.

We must of course stay vigilant for any future attempts by Priti Patel’s attack dogs at dragging our neighbours from their homes. But for now, Glasgow walks a bit taller.