German Tamils gathered in Berlin and Düsseldorf to protest the round-up and planned deportations of as many as 100 Tamil asylum seekers.

These protests follow the mass dentition of Tamil refugees across the country, mainly in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Baden-Württemberg.

(Protests in Berlin)

As well as raiding homes, authorities reportedly invited asylum seekers to renew their permits to remain but upon arrival at the building, they were detained by police officers, who confiscated their phones and prevented them from communicating with their relatives and loved ones. Many families still do not know the whereabouts of their loved ones who have been detained.

The German authorities are reportedly set to deport the detained Tamils to Sri Lanka on 30 March, despite ongoing reports of torture by Sri Lanka’s security forces.

(photo from protests in Düsseldorf)

(footage from protests in Düsseldorf)

Demonstrators were seen chanting; “no human is illegal”; “abolish the deportations”; and “refuge is not a crime”. These protests follow demonstrations in Büren and Pforzheim, against the deportations. In Australia, similar demonstrations were held against Australia’s draconian immigration policies.

During the demonstration, a representative of the protest handed a petition, including 50 signatures of grass-roots organisations demanding an end to these planned deportations, to a representative of Germany’s Ministry of the Interior. Included was also letters of support to the protesters from TNPF leader, GG Ponnambalam; Northern Provincial Councillor, MK Sivajalingam; and Canadian MP for Scarborough-Rouge Park, Gary Anandasangaree.