Two men stand surrounded by police and protesters, after being released from an Immigration Enforcement police van accompanied by lawyer Aamer Anwar and Mohammad Asif, director of the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, in Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday May 13, 2021. Some hundreds of protesters blockaded the street in Glasgow on Thursday in a seven-hour standoff which successfully forced the release of two men detained by U.K. immigration authorities. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)
Two men detained by British immigration officials in Glasgow were released Thursday after a seven-hour standoff between hundreds of protesters and Scottish police.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon slammed the “unacceptable” action by Britain's Home Office to detain the Indian men, especially as it came during celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, in an area hit by the pandemic.
The Home Office said in a statement that the men were detained "in relation to suspected immigration offences" and had been released on bail.
Sturgeon said in a tweet that Police Scotland officers had been put in an “invidious position” after being called to support the Home Office operation.
“To act in this way, in the heart of a Muslim community as they celebrated Eid, and in an area experiencing a COVID outbreak was a health & safety risk," she said.
Police were first called to Kenmure Street in Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, at about 10 a.m. where the Immigration Enforcement van with the men in it was surrounded by protesters, including neighbors of the men.
One demonstrator climbed under the vehicle to stop it from moving, while others sat in the road. The crowd chanted “Leave our neighbors, let them go” and “Cops go home."
Police Scotland said the decision to finally release the men had been made “to protect the safety, public health and well-being” of all involved.
Videos posted on social media showed cheers going up as the doors of the van were opened and the men emerged.
Protester Mohammad Asif, the director of the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, said the demonstration was a response to the “hostile environment” created by the British government.
Britain’s immigration rules have long been criticized by lawyers and human rights groups, who say they are often harsh and unfairly implemented. Rules have been tightened in the past decade under Conservative governments determined to make the U.K. a “hostile environment” for illegal immigration.
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has filed a lawsuit against his old team along with the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants. Flores alleged that the league has been following racist practices in its hiring process. Former NFL quarterback and Sports Analyst and Commentator, Lester Ray Ricard Jr, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Although this week's weather is predicted to be less severe than the 2021 storm, Texans are preparing for the worst - stocking up on supplies and emptying shelves in grocery stores, once again. Some Texans still have not recovered from last year's tragedy, and are heading into the next few weeks with anxiety for what's to come. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Houston-based energy workforce & technology council, joins Cheddar News to discuss if the Texas grid will fail again.
Student loan debt continues to be a major concern for tens of millions of Americans who collectively owe about $1.7 trillion. Black college students often take on larger amounts of student debt in order to pay for a higher education. In turn, they are more likely to struggle post-graduation with repaying their debt, creating a racial wealth gap divide. Andre Perry, senior fellow at Brookings Institution joined All Hands to help break down the black student debt crisis.
BTS’ hit single “Butter” tops the zeitgeist again, bumping back up to number one on Billboard’s Hot Trending Chart. The chart tracks what songs people are talking about rather than what they're listening to.
The American Red Cross has declared its first-ever "national blood crisis" in the United States. Since COVID hit the U.S. in March 2020, blood donations have declined by 10 percent. American Red Cross Medical Director, Dr. Baia Lasky joined Cheddar News to discuss the country facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Dr. Lasky noted that as much as 40 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood but only about 4 percent do so. "This is going to be ongoing," she said. "This is not an acute shortage. We really do need the commitment of people to come out and donate and donate again." Appointments to donate can be made by using the Red Cross Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
On this episode of ChedHER: Co-Founder of VC firm CaJE breaks down how she's creating a new era of venture capital and empowering Black women with 'soil' funding to start and grow their businesses; AYO Foods Co-Founder discusses how the brand is bringing West African cuisine to the frozen food industry and building a grocery aisle her daughters can be proud of; Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer at Chase Auto talks her experience being a woman of color in the auto industry, and why transportation is so important to financial freedom.
Renée Horne, chief marketing and customer experience officer at Chase Auto, joins ChedHER to discuss her experience being a woman of color in the auto industry and why transportation is so important to financial freedom.
