Hundreds of people from across the UK gathered in Durham city centre today to oppose an immigration removal centre (IRC) in the county.
Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre began detaining women at the end of 2021 and is one of seven IRCs operated by The Home Office in the UK. Derwentside, which was previously known as Hassockfield, will replace Yarl's Wood as the main IRC for detained women and will hold around 80 women at the site.
Today campaigners voiced their disgust at the detention centre at the No2Hassockfield demonstration at Palace Green. They called for the IRC to be shut down and many people also shared horrific accounts of being detained themselves whilst trying to seek asylum.