This recording is by a campaigner with Voice for the Voiceless Immigration Detainees, Yorkshire. A woman who has experienced the state violence and racism of immigration detention three times. A woman who stands in solidarity with all who are striving, fighting, for freedom, equality, justice.
I stand in solidarity with the souls that have departed.
And I stand in solidarity with those of us who are still striving,
with those of us who are still suffering,
with those of us who you have left with a scar.
You locked me up.
Three times.
Life in Yarl’s Wood was mean, was ruthless.
Physical attack, physical abuse, emotional abuse, deprivation.
And nobody did anything about it.
At the end of the day, they all went scot-free.
Just because of their colour.
You took my life away from me.
You took my dreams away from me.
You took my aspirations away from me.
You destroyed my life.
As you have done to so many, many, people.
What gives you the right to snatch people’s life away from them?
To take away all that we ever hoped of?
All that we ever hoped of.
You take it all away.
I stand in solidarity with the dead, and with the living today.
To fight against you, to tell you.
To kick these walls down, completely.
And to do the rightful thing
Give them life, give them hope,
Give them security and safety.
These walls must fall. Now.
Kick the walls down.
Kick the walls down.
Kick the walls down.
Enough is enough.
Kick the walls down.
Kick the walls down.
Kick these awful walls down.
Enough is enough.