Kenmure Street Protest

It started with an immigration enforcement van pulling up in Kenmure Street. It ended with hundreds of protestors, international news coverage and the release of two asylum seekers back into the community. It’s the bit in-between that’s fascinating. As soon as the van came to a stop on that quiet mid-May morning, ‘Van Man’ - as he later became known – spotted it from his window, raced along on his bike and wedged himself underneath the axle, making movement impossible. His actions spurred others, and in a short time a crowd had formed to protest against the forced removal of two of their neighbours. Hundreds more gathered, including many from the local Muslim community who were celebrating Eid that day. The bus-stop became a temporary refreshment station. Parents stopped by with their kids on the way back from school. Politicians and activists appeared, but the greatest presence was from those living on Kenmure Street itself, and the chant of, “They’re our neighbours, let them go” swelled up repeatedly through the day. In this episode of ‘Our Story’, Mark Stephen hears from several of those who were present on the day, creating a picture of civic defiance which may resonate for many years to come.