26.03.94 Demonstrators climb fence, reach roof 21 years of resistance and stay for 12 hours. Ali Tamarat, former to immigration detainee and hunger striker, speaks at demonstration and on TV. Two days later he is detention at Campsfield re-detained. 24.05.94 Detainee seen being deported 25.11.93 First immigration detainees brought handcuffed and mouth taped up. Already ill from Harmondsworth detention centre. 12 before her transfer, the doctor at Holloway demonstrators meet minibuses at Campsfield prison refused her and she had to be taken to main gates and demand freedom for detainees. Whittington hospital. 25.05.94 Detainees extract promise from Almost at once there were protests by those Immigration Service staff in Campsfield that there would be no more unannounced held inside Campsfield, and for 21 years there have been individual and collective deportations. protests by detainees including signed 4.06.94 600 people demonstrate outside statements to the authorities, and mass Campsfield; human rights camp set up. hunger strikes. 5.06.94 Mass revolt in Campsfield by detainees Monthly demonstrations (last Saturday at following deportation of Ali Tamarat without noon) and monthly public meetings in warning. 11 detainees escape. Many protest on Oxford’s Town Hall (first Tuesday, 7.30pm) rooftop. Riot police are sent in. 22 detainees moved to prison after protest. At least five now both number over 250. detainees injured 9.07.94 Camp for human rights evicted from 16,17.12.93 Town centre demo; Public meeting outside main gates of Campsfield (erected against Campsfield in Oxford Town Hall. 04.06.94). 23.12.93 169 visitors from Jamaica (an entire August letter from 86 Oxford academics to the plane-load, including an immigration officer) Prime Minister: ‘[These people] who are are detained on arrival. 40 are detained in innocent of any crime, should not be detained. Campsfield over Christmas. We certainly do not find it acceptable that they 10.01.94 Campaign to Close Campsfield should be detained without trial, without time launched with support from Oxford Trades limit and with little chance of bail, and thus Union Council, other union branches and church treated worse than common law criminals.’ bodies. 27.09.94 Hunger strike begins, is joined by all 29.01.94 First monthly demonstration. They Ghanaians in Campsfield till 3.10.94. continue thereafter at noon on last Saturday of 25.11.94 Detainee is bound and gagged and every month. deported to Ghana breaking the official ban on 10.02.94 11 hunger strikers (mostly Algerian) in gags after the death of Joy Gardner in July 1993. Campsfield moved to secure hospital in 4.12.94 Petition of over 5,000 signatures calling Yorkshire which is then picketed. Algerian for Campsfield to close handed in at 10 Community Association join and organise Downing Street by marchers from Oxford to demonstrations. All 11 granted temporary London via Harmondsworth detention centre. admission and released from detention. 7.02.95 By hunger strike, Muslim and Christian 11.03.94 175 detainees go on hunger strike. detainees win request for halal food and change Sparks off wave of hunger strikes across Britain of meal times to allow Muslim detainees to that includes about 400 detainees in total. observe Ramadan. 5.03.95 Ivorian Relief Action 12.03.94 First rooftop protest in Campsfield Group hold demonstrations outside Campsfield with demonstration outside by Campaign. with Campaign and new group, Students 13.03.94 Nine detainees from roof-protest Against Campsfield. Two detainees, Anne- moved to prisons. Hunger strikers threatened Marie Sonan and Sita Kamara, are released after with deportation. 40 incidents are recorded hunger strike. which break the World Medical Assembly 20.04.95 Judge Tumin, chief inspector of Declaration of Malta (1991) on treatment of prisons, report on Campsfield states average hunger strikers. Last hunger striker stops after stay is 10 weeks and 10% of detainees are there 41 days. more than six months. 26.05.95 Judge Tumin immigration minister. Spokesperson for told that his contract will not be renewed by the detainees victimized and moved to prison. Home Office. 17.08.98 All Campsfield Nine are released from 30.05.95 Two detainees are deported despite detention following concerted lobbying and having been on hunger strike for over 30 days another suicide attempt. Eight of the nine decide and being too weak to walk. One hospitalised in to sue the Home Office and Group 4 for India for several weeks. malicious prosecution. 5.02.96 Students Against Campsfield appear on 21.09.99 Two detainees injure themselves, one TV national news with banner in Heathrow very seriously, trying to escape. stating ‘Britain starves refugees’ on day benefits 14.11.99 Twenty detainees protest on roof for removed for in-country asylum applicants having been detained for over one year. 25.05.96 Six detainees attempt to escape 27.11.99 300 people attend anniversary ‘Six Campsfield but are caught and transferred to a years too long’ demonstration. prison. 15.09.00 ‘Barbed Wire Europe’ Conference 13.07.96 The Campaign and Kurdish refugees Against Immigration Detention, in Ruskin perform a street play in Oxford to highlight College, Oxford organised by Campaign; 125 detention in Campsfield (performed several attend from 25 countries. times over next few months). 2001 15.09.96 Trees outside Campsfield are cut down Barbed Wire Britain anti detention network set to prevent supporters and detainees from up on initiative of Campaign. communicating. March Manchester conference on rights of 21.05.97 Detainee moved to Winson Green migrants organised by BWB, Committee to prison because he complained of Group 4 staff Defend Asylum Seekers and National Coalition watching pornographic videos in room of Anti Deportation Campaigns adjoining prayer room during Ramadan. Summer Three-week 'No Borders' camp at 22.05.97 12 detainees protest on roof for 36 Campsfield in the summer of 2001 (in hours against transferrals to prisons. solidarity with other European No Borders 30.05.97 11 unaccompanied children detained in Network camps) Campsfield until visitors and lawyers July The Wombles plan a mass camp, complained. advertising their intention to break down the 20.08.97 Detainees protest in Campsfield as fence, but are stopped by a huge police they see a detainee being strangled as he is operation. removed. Group 4 evacuate and riot police are End 2001 Detainees react angrily to refusal of brought in. 10 West Africans and two immigration officials to meet about grievances. Caribbeans and one Lebanese are blamed for A fire is started. ‘riot’ and detained on remand. Charges against 2002 four are dropped, leaving nine. Of nine, three 7 February: ‘I can also confirm that I intend to are minors. Two attempt suicide while in close Campsfield House. This outdated centre is detention. Another two are granted refugee no longer appropriate in the 21st century. These status and are given bail. places will be transferred to the new high 16.04.98 Sir David Ramsbotham, chief standard [sic] removal centres.’ – David inspector of prisons, publishes report on Blunkett, Home Secretary. Decision later Campsfield: ‘it is abundantly clear’ that ‘there is reversed following fire at Yarl’s Wood little or no consistency, or logic, in current Spring Government announces 4 open 750- arrangements for deciding upon detention’. bed‘accommodation centres’ for migrants will 17.06.98 All of the Campsfield Nine are be opened, one at Piddington, Bicester, Oxon. acquitted when prosecution admits that their Campaign helps set up Bicester Refugee witnesses, Group 4 and Immigration staff, are Support to oppose the plan on humanitarian ‘unreliable’ that security guards destroyed grounds. Plan dropped after Public Inquiry at telephones and hit detainees. Four of the Nine which BRS and Asylum Welcome give are detained in Rochester prison. evidence, and at total cost of over £20 million. 22.06.98 70 detainees start mass hunger strike in Summer National demonstration for migrant Campsfield for one week demanding visit by rights in London organised by BWB, NCADC, CDAS (see March 2001) attend September 2001 Mass hunger strike 18 June 7 detainees escape, 3 remain free 2003 Also 2008, Oxford & District TUC statement Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, ‘Slave Labour at Campsfield’: concludes Campsfield is not ‘a place of safety’. http://www.closecampsfield.org.uk/oldindex.ht 14 June 120 Detainees on hunger strike. ml 14 December 66 Campsfield detainees go on 9 August 13 Iraqi Kurds begin hunger strike. hunger strike. Spokesman Fazzel Abdul said: ‘Without any November Unite general secretary Bill Morris reason we are being held here and they are addresses 10th anniversary demo; protests at trying to deport us to the most dangerous oppressive policing. country in the world.’ 2004 11 August 50 other detainees join in protest. ‘We 31 January 1st European Day of Action for are protested because we are human beings we Migrant Rights/Against Detention: demos at are not criminal. We are locked in the cell like Campsfield, Waterloo station, Liverpool Hull, prisoners we want freedom and justice there Bridgewater; Daily Mail picketed. are many of us who have family and we have August Kidlington Parish Council votes down been separated to live with our family.’ expansion of Campsfield. 2009 2005 1 January A man from Congo Brazzaville in 2 April 2nd European Day of Action; demos in Campsfield slit his throat after being on hunger UK cities. strike for 9 days. Some unrest in Campsfield 27 June †RIP Ramazan Kimluca (18), Kurdish following this. asylum seeker, hangs himself in Campsfield. May An Oxford resident for 13 years, health July Campsfield detainee sews lips together, worker, and member of Unison Oxon Health swallows needle.