According to a homeless charity volunteer, about 40 migrants were
transferred out of Manston, the congested processing centre, on Tuesday so
they could stay with friends and family in the capital.
However, 11 of them had nowhere to go after they arrived at Victoria
railway station.
The government has come under fire following reports that Manston was
illegally keeping migrants, including families, for four weeks. People
should stay for no more than 24 hours while their claim is processed.
At most, 1,600 migrants should be present at the processing centre at any
given moment; nevertheless, the MP for the area stated that figure was
closer to 4,000 on Monday.
On Tuesday evening, Danial Abbas, a volunteer with the Under One Sky
organisation, noticed a group of bewildered and disoriented individuals
attempting to flag down members of the public and station officials at
Victoria Station.
He recognised the men as being from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq since they
were all wearing identifying wristbands with QR codes on their wrists. Mr
Abbas stated that they looked to be issued by the Home Office.
“It was freezing outside. Half of them weren’t even wearing a jacket or
suitable shoes. They were dressed in flip flops. All of their possessions
were in blue plastic bags “Mr. Abbas stated.
They were hungry and broke, “desperate for tea, coffee, and soup,” Mr Abbas
recalled. He made arrangements for the group to eat at McDonald’s and
purchased more than 80 items of clothes from Primark, including gloves,
shoes, caps, and slacks.
They assumed they were headed to a hotel in London and were really excited
about leaving Manston,” Mr Abbas explained.
A number of cases of diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection,
have been documented at the processing centre.
Mr Abbas sought help from the NGO Migrant Help. He was subsequently able to
contact a Home Office officer, who he claims described the situation as
“absolutely inappropriate.”
He said the group was eventually picked up around 1am on Wednesday and
driven to a hotel in Norwich.
According to the British Transport Police, officers arrived at the station
just after 22:30 on Tuesday night in response to reports of asylum seekers
seeking assistance.
Officers engaged and liaised with charity partners, rail workers, and
government colleagues to assist them in finding overnight housing,” a
spokesperson added.
They said no crime was committed.
“It is disturbing to hear about this; and if this was actually the case,
then, of course, our sympathies go to the folks who have been put in this
predicament through no fault of their own,” Migrant Help said.
transferred out of Manston, the congested processing centre, on Tuesday so
they could stay with friends and family in the capital.
However, 11 of them had nowhere to go after they arrived at Victoria
railway station.
The government has come under fire following reports that Manston was
illegally keeping migrants, including families, for four weeks. People
should stay for no more than 24 hours while their claim is processed.
At most, 1,600 migrants should be present at the processing centre at any
given moment; nevertheless, the MP for the area stated that figure was
closer to 4,000 on Monday.
On Tuesday evening, Danial Abbas, a volunteer with the Under One Sky
organisation, noticed a group of bewildered and disoriented individuals
attempting to flag down members of the public and station officials at
Victoria Station.
He recognised the men as being from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq since they
were all wearing identifying wristbands with QR codes on their wrists. Mr
Abbas stated that they looked to be issued by the Home Office.
“It was freezing outside. Half of them weren’t even wearing a jacket or
suitable shoes. They were dressed in flip flops. All of their possessions
were in blue plastic bags “Mr. Abbas stated.
They were hungry and broke, “desperate for tea, coffee, and soup,” Mr Abbas
recalled. He made arrangements for the group to eat at McDonald’s and
purchased more than 80 items of clothes from Primark, including gloves,
shoes, caps, and slacks.
They assumed they were headed to a hotel in London and were really excited
about leaving Manston,” Mr Abbas explained.
A number of cases of diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection,
have been documented at the processing centre.
Mr Abbas sought help from the NGO Migrant Help. He was subsequently able to
contact a Home Office officer, who he claims described the situation as
“absolutely inappropriate.”
He said the group was eventually picked up around 1am on Wednesday and
driven to a hotel in Norwich.
According to the British Transport Police, officers arrived at the station
just after 22:30 on Tuesday night in response to reports of asylum seekers
seeking assistance.
Officers engaged and liaised with charity partners, rail workers, and
government colleagues to assist them in finding overnight housing,” a
spokesperson added.
They said no crime was committed.
“It is disturbing to hear about this; and if this was actually the case,
then, of course, our sympathies go to the folks who have been put in this
predicament through no fault of their own,” Migrant Help said.
