Brighton: protest to support family amid deportation plight

People of all ages joined together in support of 16-year-old schoolgirl Ann Bashir, her sister and mother after their claim for asylum was rejected.

A rally, dubbed "Don't Deport Our Student", was held at The Level in Brighton on Saturday afternoon to show solidarity.

The crowd wrote notes of solidarity on a giant letter addressed to the Home Office (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

The family fled Sudan in 2020 following more than a month in prison where they were tortured for attending anti-government protests.

Ann, who is studying for her GCSEs at Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove, said: "It was nice to see so many people come to support me and my family, even though they don't know us.

"It made me really emotional, as I remembered my dad and everything that happened over there."

Ann's father is presumed killed or imprisoned in Sudan, after they were separated by security forces when they were detained.

She has not seen him since.

Ann and her father, who is not named due to safety fears (Image: Supplied)

The family's situation came to light when Ann told Georgia Neale, one of her tutors at school, about the asylum rejection.

Georgia called on student leaders and the wider community to take action, which resulted in a vigil at the school two weeks ago.

Ann said: "The people around me made me feel very strong, and Georgia treats me like one of her daughters."

Georgia, left, and Ann, right (Image: Natasa Leoni)

Georgia read out a message at the rally on behalf of a tearful Ann. She thanked everyone for their support in "helping fight" her family's threat of deportation.

Ann said they feared being "killed, raped, or other things words can't describe".

Ann travelled down from her asylum accomodation in Tower Hamlets, London, to attend the demonstration. She commutes daily to school.

She said: "I woke up at 7am to get a bus and then a train, because I felt as if it might change something if I was there in person." 

Ann held her arm around Georgia during the rally (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Ann said seeing so many people in support of her and her family gave her renewed hope.

Georgia said: "I'm just so excited that so many voices came together to make a difference.

"Ann was here, she was smiling, I haven't seen her smile properly for two years. Everyone was here for her.

Cllr Allbrooke at The Level (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Also attending was Brighton and Hove city councillor Hannah Allbrooke, who recently sent a letter to the Home Office asking them to reconsider their stance on the family's asylum application.

Cllr Allbrooke said: "It was amazing. I hate it when young people are dismissed in politics, and as one of the youngest councillors, I get dismissed as well.

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"But then you look at demonstrations like this, organised by young people, and they are not only doing stuff to protect their fellow student but having really powerful and knowledgeable statements about the government.

"I'll keep chasing Suella Braverman, but the Home Office just put their fingers in their ears.

"We will continue to fight."