Thursday 29th August 2013, 2.30pm

*ARN RAID REPORT*

UKBA raid on currency exchange, West Green Road, Tottenham (London).

2013-08-29 Tottenham West Green 1

Two Asian men were detained by UK border agents this afternoon near Seven Sisters. Three vans arrived around 2:30pm and the raid was over by around 3:30pm.

2013-08-29 Tottenham West Green 2

Two of the vans were checkered, the third was dark blue, showing that the UKBA are still using some of their older unmarked vehicles.  The shop is a currency exchange owned by two brothers.  One owner had gone to pick up his brother and the raid was already in progress by the time they arrived.  There were only UKBA agents involved (no Police). According to street witnesses and shop owners they only went into the one shop.  One of the agents told the owners that they had intelligence that one of their employees had overstayed his visa.  The agent had an A4 printed page with the man’s face on it.  This employee was arrested.  A second man who was on the street outside the shop and unknown to the owners was also (randomly) arrested. Both men were Asian.

The Anti Raids Network are helping organise legal support.

Thursday 15th August 2013, 11am

*ARN RAID REPORT*

UKBA raided 2 hair & beauty shops on Kingsland Road, Dalston (London).

6 people were reportedly arrested, including at least 3 Asian men. Immigration Officers were accompanied by Police, Trading Standard and Hackney Council.

Black customers told Anti Raids Network that they were made to show officers their ID before leaving the shop, and that plain-clothed police were involved. Activists gave out ‘know your rights’ cards to concerned passers-by and used social media to alert nearby journalists.