In what appears to be a bizarre PR stunt, the UK Borders Agency are offering to have "fully-kitted arrest team officers" fingerprint, handcuff and bang up children and pensioners in Immigration Service cell vans at county shows across the south of England so they can have a taste of the rich and rewarding Immigration Detention and Deportation Experience™! For the parents who thought their children too young to be locked in a cell (an option not open to the parents of deported children), there was the chance to make "fingerprint paintings". We kid you not.
According to UKBA's in-house 'London & South East Region Stakeholder Newsletter', this "great opportunity to explain the importance of our work" had apparently had improved the opinion of the work of the service in 239 visitors surveyed, while 13 said it was the same. What they don't say is how many found it a totally humiliating and degrading experience and how many were too flabbergasted to even respond, never mind too outraged to even take part.
You can request an electronic copy of this 'newsletter' from: paula.alvarez@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
2 comments:
I saw this happen at another county show in the south of England during the summer.
The UKBA stand was one of the busiest in show and the kids loved being fingerprinted and locked up. They were also asking to be handcuffed as well!
Hardly a scandal!
Sad comment on our society when people actually enjoy being fingerprinted and locked up don't you think, whether they're children or not?
Post a Comment