More than a thousand people marched through the centre of Glasgow on Saturday, on a demonstration called by the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, demanding an end to detention and deportation. For a month refugee families have been snatched in dawn raids at their homes. Sometimes by as many as 15 immigration officials, they are given 5 minutes to pack, not allowed to phone anyone, often handcuffed then put into vans bound for detention centres in England, there to await deportation. Anger at this has been increasing in local communities and a number of successful campaigns have been mounted to bring families back. Recently students and staff at Drumchapel High School have been shocked and appalled to discover that refugee students there have disappeared in this way overnight. When this happened to the Vucaj family from Kosovo, neighbours and school student friends combined to protest – taking the case to the Scottish parliament. First Minister Jack McConnell has consistently refused to comment on asylum and immigration issues or Dungavel detention centre, claiming that they are not devolved matters. However, anger and protests have reached such a pitch in the city, at what people see as tactics reminiscent of a police state, that he was forced to promise that he would negotiate a “more sensitive protocol� with the Home Office over the treatment of families. This has not satisfied anybody as he still supports Government policy on asylum, despite his own “Fresh Talent� scheme which aims to recruit desperately needed workers to Scotland. Saturday’s demonstration was led by young Scottish and refugee school students, 30 of whom marched on the recent anti-war demonstration in London, and was supported by banners and speakers from the Fire Brigade Union, The Transport & general Workers Union, Educational Institute of Scotland and the GPMU/Amicus. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) Tommy Sheridan (SSP), Sandra White (SNP) and Patrick Harvie (Green Party) spoke, as did friends of the Vucaj family who were, sadly, forcibly deported on Thursday. Other community campaigners told of the successful fight to bring back an African family last week and refugees poke of their experiences. People intend to be back at the Scottish Parliament this week to protest at the most racist and draconian immigration laws in Britain’s history. The mood is determined and completely uncompromising among campaigners. As far as their many friends and supporters in Glasgow are concerned, REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE! By Margaret Woods, Trade Union Organiser, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees