Following a meeting on Monday between NASS officials from their Croydon headquarters, Glasgow City Council and the YMCA, a three month hold has been put on forced removals of asylum seekers to the YMCA in Red Road. (see earlier posting 'What a Mess - NASS & the YMCA') DIRECT ACTION WORKS! This small success (which is major for the families involved!) is largely down to the solidarity of the 18 or more families that refused to move from Shawbridge (and Ibrox.) This cannot be said loud enough and it is a shame that many people including political party hacks rushed to claim credit last night at the public meeting when largely they had been inactive over the last five weeks as this crisis was brewing. Asylum seekers themselves, with limited help from others, by refusing to move and supporting each other made this success happen. Asylum seekers went to each other's flats to support each other during visits by the YMCA - sometimes as many as twenty people cramming into the small flats to support the family when they were due to move. Asylum seekers organised the Emergency Meeting held three weeks ago (and reported here) when 15 families declared they would not move and have organised regular meetings since then to sort out problems and advise each other what to do. Asylum seekers called for and came to the protests outside the YMCA yesterday and two weeks ago. Asylum seekers also worked out how to get their NASS claims re-instated after they had been cut off and left without money - something that had left other agencies scratching their heads on how to solve it. It is a shame that no-one from Unity - the asylum seekers union - whose local Pollokshaws committee played a crucial role in this campaign, were allowed to speak from the platform last night. As asylum seekers left the meeting last night many stood on the steps of Pollok Burgh Hall chanting 'Unity - We Belong to Glasgow!' with broad smiles and holding clenched fists in the air! Tomorrow 100 asylum seekers are going to meet MSPs at the Scottish Parliament in a trip organised by Unity. Tickets for the trip are pretty much sold out. If you wish to join us we will be there from 11.30am. Many thanks to those people who we know contacted Glasgow City Council, the YMCA and NASS following the posting about the removals on this site several weeks ago.

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