Dawn Raid Across the Hall

This morning there were noises in the close. I was lying in bed just waking up thinking that maybe there were workmen coming in to do work in one of the flats. For a moment there flickered the thought of secret police coming and taking families in another place at a different time. Then my boyfriend raised his head of the pillow and listened harder. “Shhhh”, I said. “Relax, it’s workmen, they’re at a different flat, not ours.” He said “have the neighbours got status? (meaning permission to stay in the country)” I don’t know. Shit! I jumped up and looked out of the front window. Shit, shit shit, 2 big vans, one silver people carrier and one of the big blue vans that I had seen parked outside the Home Office the week before whlst showing new Unity volunteers around. They were just pulling away.

I quickly got dressed and knocked on the door across the landing. Noises inside, phew, they are still there. Father comes to the door, child holding baby stand behind him. “Are you okay”. “Yeah, but my wife”. The family all have permission to stay in this country but the mother’s visa expired. They don’t have a lawyer. There were 7 booted armoured up officers – some immigration some police – to take this one woman away from her husband and children. Her baby is only 6 months old. We exchanged phone numbers and I got on with my morning.

After lunch I went to the Unity office and my neighbour arrived there soon after me – I’d given him the address that morning. He was carrying the baby and I was about to fly into a rage at them taking the mother when she walked in behind him. Hooray! They had only detained her for a short time. All of that show of strength and time and money to give her one piece of paper! We organised a lawyer for them. Thank yous and hugs. I burst into tears when they walked out the door. The strain and relief all at the same time.

Later I am walking back home in the rain. I turn the corner to my street and lift my head and see my neighbour walking towards me, smiling and getting on with his day. "That's more like it!" He punches me gently on the shoulder as we pass each other not slackening pace in the cold and he says "god bless."