The first illegal immigrants have been brought back to the Bibby Stockholm barge more than two months after it was evacuated following the discovery of deadly bacteria.
A coach carrying the group was met with protesters against the use of the vessel at the gates of Portland Port in Dorset on Thursday.
A Home Office spokeswoman said that tests for Legionella bacteria—as well as improved fire safety protocols—had been completed ahead of their return.
The Telegraph reported that of the 39 people removed from the vessel in August, 29 would be returning.
Others had found accommodation with relatives, one had returned to their home country, and others had mental health issues exempting them from staying on the barge, according to the newspaper.
About 30 protesters gathered at the port gates holding banners saying: “Scrap the prison barge! Refugees welcome.”
Oppressive
Candy Udwin of Stand Up To Racism Dorset said after the coach entered the port, “It is a terrible way to treat people but we have sent a message today that they are welcome and this is not the way to treat refugees.”She said she had been in contact with some of those who had been staying on the Bibby Stockholm, adding, “They hate it, they say it feels like a prison, some hate being on the sea, they find it very difficult to leave and they are completely separated from the community.”
Annika of Portland Global Friendship Group helped produce “welcome bags” for the arrivals which included shampoo, toothpaste, notebooks, and a map of the local area.
She said: “We just want to welcome the refugees and make a gesture to show there are people here who care.
“I think the barge is a horrible idea, it feels very oppressive, it feels like a prison here with the amount of security that they have to go through.”
Local councillor Carralyn Parkes, who is mayor of Portland and lost a High Court fight against Home Secretary Suella Braverman over the lawfulness of housing illegal immigrants on the barge, also attended the protest.
She said that she was continuing subsequent legal action against Dorset Council as the planning authority responsible for the port.
“The Bibby Stockholm is not the way humane society treats vulnerable human beings,” she said.
Identities Recorded
The Home Office said it had been working with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to address safety concerns which had included the creation of a fourth gangway.All staff members involved in fire evacuation had received accredited fire warden training and would undergo regular drills, a spokeswoman said.
She added that those being brought to the Bibby Stockholm would be given five days’ notice, with each individual assessed against a suitability criteria and screened against police and immigration databases.
They would also have their fingerprints and identities recorded.
She added that a full system cleanse of the water system had been carried out and tests had given the all-clear for the Legionella bacteria.
The spokeswoman added: “The government is committed to ending the use of expensive hotels for asylum seekers.
“Moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation sites, like the Bibby Stockholm, is more affordable for taxpayers and more manageable for communities, with on-site health care and catering facilities.”
Steve Smith, chief executive of refugee charity Care4Calais, said that it was assisting illegal immigrants with legal challenges against the accommodation.
He said: “That includes supporting the survivors of torture and modern slavery to legally challenge their accommodation on these sites, which is contrary to the government’s own suitability criteria.
“Already, we are seeing some of these transfers being delayed or cancelled altogether because of these challenges.”
