Glimpses of the history of struggle against the immigration detention prison near Oxford from both sides of the razor wire fences:

1994:    Tasting Freedom (1994), released one year after Campsfield House opened as the UK’s first purpose built immigration detention prison. Asylum-seekers in Campsfield organised hunger strikes, revolts and uprisings to resist the torture and oppression they were subjected to in the centre , treatment which they were trying to escape by travelling to the UK: https://vimeo.com/34956247

2002:    Barbed Wire Beat (14 minutes VHS, being transferred online). Moving, dynamic journey through years of campaigning against immigration detention at Campsfield. Shows the beat of resistance from detainees and supporters in rooftop protests, hunger strikes, the Campsfield 9 trial and international mobilisations against Barbed Wire Europe. Music from Banner Theatre’s Fortress Europe CD. 

2011:          BBC report on the monthly demonstrations organised since the centre opened in 1993. They continued for 25 years until Campsfield did eventually close in 2019:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqI2Axa_qys.

2014:     On Wednesday, 7 May 2014, over 50 detainees went on hunger strike at Campsfield. Hear from the hunger strikers: https://youtu.be/ABm8hZXn5IA

2014:     Campsfield House: An Immigration Removal Centre (2014). Hear from people detained about the system by which the UK Home Office detains immigrants and asylum seekers indefinitely, without any trial or charge. Also from campaigners, charities, academics and lawyers that engage with it: https://vimeo.com/106182843

2014:     On 29 November 2014, nearly 100 detainees went on protest inside Campsfield after a detainee was physically assaulted by the guards. Hear from the protests here: https://vimeo.com/113244678

2014:     Eyewitnesses of the assault of 29 November 2014 were prevented from speaking out by Mitie. They were put in isolation, their phones were confiscated and they were moved to other centres. Hear from them: https://vimeo.com/116481472

2015:     Working Illegally. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK. But, if detained, they work for £1 per hour, saving the private security companies contracted to run detention centres vast amounts of money. Based on research by Corporate Watch, this film hears primarily from the people who do these jobs: https://vimeo.com/126678906

2018:     On 22 November, ex-detainees, organisers and campaigners commemorated 25 years of resistance to Campsfield. They celebrated the imminent closure of the centre in 2019 by calling for the closure of all immigration detention centres. Close Campsfield Campaign became Oxford Against Immigration Detention (OAID): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfJ25_FwsEw