Thirty asylum seekers detained in the UK have begun a hunger strike to protest their imminent removal to France under the Home Office's 'one in, one out' scheme. Many are scheduled to be forcibly returned on Thursday.
The scheme aims to deter Channel crossings by removing individuals to France in exchange for a smaller number of legal arrivals. Over 100 people have been removed so far, with some returning to the UK via small boats and being removed again.
One hunger striker told the Guardian: 'I am exhausted by this situation and find it deeply unfair and unjust. I arrived on a boat with 83 other people, and only 12 of us were moved to a detention centre. The rest are being processed normally and are now in hotels.'
Another detainee said: 'Life has completely stopped for me since I was detained. It feels like living in limbo, with the constant fear of being sent back to places that are unsafe for me.'
Charlotte Buckley of Bail for Immigration Detainees called on the Home Office to listen to the strikers' demands, noting concerns over lack of legal representation. A Home Office spokesperson said they are 'ramping up returns activity' and committed to 'dignity and respect' in removals.
