Rwanda chaos: Protesters lodge scooter under London coach to stop migrants being shipped to Bibby Stockholm

Rwanda chaos: Protesters lodge scooter under London coach to stop migrants being shipped to Bibby Stockholm

GB News was present at the scene of the protests

GB News
Nicholas Dunning

By Nicholas Dunning


Published: 02/05/2024

- 11:56

Updated: 02/05/2024

- 14:11

Activists wore masks while chanting: "No detentions, no flights. Refugees have human rights"

Scores of protesters have surrounded a coach at an accommodation centre in Peckham, south London, to scupper the detaining of migrants earmarked for flights to Rwanda.

The activists formed a wall around the coach and lodged a rental scooter under the vehicle in order to prevent the transportation of the migrants.


Multiple police vehicles were at the scene at around 9.30am, though one officer told GB News the activists "would not speak" with them to communicate their demands.

Activists wore masks while chanting: "No detentions, no flights. Refugees have human rights".

Protests outside migrant accommodation centre in Peckham

Protesters vowed not to move until authorities agreed to abandon their plans to detain the migrants

GB News

One anonymous attendee told GB News: "This bus is supposed to take migrants to the Bibby Stockholm.

"We, as a community are here to stop them and this will take place across the country", before pointing at the rental scooter lodged under the coach.

Protesters vowed not to move until authorities agreed to abandon their plans to detain the migrants.

Pro-refugee attendees told GB News they had learned of the action via 'call-out' groups on social media and were not acting as one singular group.

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Rental scooter lodged under coach

Protesters lodged a rental scooter under the coach that was due to transport migrants from the accommodation centre to Bibby Stockholm

GB News

GB News has approached Best Western London Peckham and the Met Police for comment.

Today's events form the latest action taken by activist groups to scupper the government's plans to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda.

Yesterday saw the Home Office detain the first migrants bound for Rwanda, a week after the plan was voted into law.

More detentions are expected to take place in the coming weeks, ahead of flights expected to take off at the begining of July.

Protesters surrounding coach

Protesters surrounded the coach to stop it from leaving

GB News

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "Our Rwanda Partnership is a pioneering response to the global challenge of illegal migration, and we have worked tirelessly to introduce new, robust legislation to deliver it.

"Our dedicated enforcement teams are working at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here so we can get flights off the ground.

"This is a complex piece of work, but we remain absolutely committed to operationalising the policy, to stop the boats and break the business model of people smuggling gangs.”

A Metropolitan Police statement read: "Police were called at around 8.40pm to reports of a group of protesters near a hotel in Peckham Road SE15.

"There were reports that a coach had been obstructed by people and bicycles."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: "My officers were quickly on scene and have engaged with the protesters at length.

"They have warned the group that they could be arrested. We will share more information when we can."

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