Fair Play For Siva campaign and demos.

From the first moment that Siva's friends heard that he had been detained, a campaign to halt any attempt of deportation was launched, including demonstrations in Bristol, petitions (on paper and online) and a media campaign.

The first demonstration took place on Wednesday 8th Dec, the morning after he was detained. Volunteers from Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR) and the Bristol Defend Asylum Seekers Campaign (BDASC) gathered outside Trinity Road police station, where Siva was held.

The following week saw the start of the Fair Play For Siva campaign, using a cricketing theme for demonstrations held each day from Monday 13th to Friday 17th on College Green in Bristol. In rain, sun and snow, friends and supporters donned whites clothes, made and held placards, carried the BRR banner, played cricket, sung and played musical intruments, and gave petitions for passers-by to sign. On Friday, Caroline Beatty was able to present a petition of 750 names to Siva's MP, Stephen Williams, who is also supporting Siva's claim.




Scenes from the Fair Play For Siva demos on College Green, 13th-17th Dec.






Caroline Beatty presenting Stephen Williams MP with a petition of 750 signatures supporting Siva's case.



There has also been contact with the media, with mentions in the Bristol Evening Post and an article on the bristol.indymedia site. And most prominently, on Thursday morning BBC Bristol broadcast a telephone interview with Siva talking from Dover followed by a live interview with Caroline. The interview can be heard on BBC Bristol's website (until Thurs 23) starting at 51m49s into the broadcast. Siva talks about how the UK feels like his home and that the lifestyle, food and places of the UK "are all in my body now."

The power of online social networking has been put to use for the campaign with a page on facebook and a profile on twitter. And there has been a very active team of researchers and correspondents working behind the scenes to ensure that Siva's case remains alive and as fully informed as possible, and to ensure that his right to remain is defended as strongly as possible.

(DV)