Human rights campaigners from the No To Hassockfield group will gather outside Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre on Saturday 18 April from 12–2pm, renewing their call for a more humane approach to asylum in the UK ahead of local elections scheduled for Thursday 7 May.
“No human is illegal”
The demonstration forms part of an ongoing campaign to challenge immigration detention practices and to remind voters of the principle that “no human is illegal.” Organisers say the timing is deliberate, as political parties increasingly focus on migration in their election messaging.
Campaigners are urging the public to consider compassion and dignity when casting their votes, calling for an asylum system that reflects “traditional British values of compassion, justice and responsibility.” They argue that current policies often dehumanise people seeking sanctuary and fail to address the root causes of displacement.
Recent data cited by the group shows that while the number of women held in immigration detention has fallen from around 300 a decade ago to approximately 100 today, most are now detained at Derwentside. Research by Women for Refugee Women indicates that many of these women are survivors of serious gender-based violence, including rape, domestic abuse, forced marriage, and sexual exploitation. Campaigners say detention can retraumatise individuals, causing long-term harm to mental health.
Women’s rights campaigner and former MEP Julie Ward criticised what she described as the scapegoating of migrants in political discourse. She argued that systemic economic issues are often misattributed to people seeking asylum, while the role of wealth inequality and corporate profit in public services is overlooked. She also raised concerns about the privatisation of detention facilities, describing Derwentside as part of a system that profits from the confinement of vulnerable individuals.
“No To Hassockfield is a non-political campaign,” Ward said, “but we condemn the increasing racist and xenophobic rhetoric in public discourse and invite the public to stand in solidarity with people seeking asylum.”
No release
As part of its wider awareness efforts, the group is also promoting an online screening of No Release, a film produced by BÉZNĂ Theatre and supported by the British Council. The event will take place on Wednesday 29 April at 7pm and is being organised in collaboration with Migrants Organise, Tipping Point, Boycott Bloody Insurance, and Bank Better.
Dr Helen Groom, Chair of No To Hassockfield, said the film highlights the impact of continuous GPS surveillance on migrants following their release from detention. She argued that such monitoring represents another form of control that can hinder individuals from rebuilding their lives.
“While we support alternatives to detention, GPS tagging is not one of them,” she said. “We want to highlight how private companies are profiting from immigration services funded by taxpayers. Our goal is to see Derwentside closed and replaced with a fairer, more compassionate system.”
The film No Release follows two migrant men navigating life after prison while subjected to constant electronic monitoring. It explores how poverty, displacement, and systemic inequalities intersect to create ongoing hardship, shedding light on what campaigners describe as a broader system of surveillance and exclusion.
For more information about the demonstration or film screening, contact Dr Helen Groom on 07930 354646 or via email at drhelengroom@hotmail.com.
This article is based on a media release by No to Hassockfield, compiled by Chat GPT, and edited by North East Bylines.
