In March 2017, a group of 15 activists halted a flight that was due to deport people from the UK to Nigeria and Ghana. The activists, known as the Stansted 15, have been found guilty of endangering an aerodrome, a terrorism offence that has only been used once since it was introduced in 1990 and carries a maximum of lifetime imprisonment. They will be sentenced on 6 February.
Of the 60 people who were due to be deported on the flight, 11 are still in the country pursuing their asylum claims. Two have been granted indefinite leave to remain, and some have been identified as trafficking victims. This would not have happened without the actions of the Stansted 15, and it shows the depravity of the government’s “deport first, appeal later” policy.
We stand in solidarity with human rights defenders Stansted 15. It is deeply concerning that activists peacefully resisting Britain’s draconian immigration policies are convicted as terrorists.
Research for Action & Debt Resistance UK