Clashes between UK immigration officers and crowds of protesters in London’s Chinatown has led to an elderly woman being admitted to hospital.
The woman was reportedly captured on film lying in front of an immigration van as crowds gathered to demonstrate against the arrest of her relative, and an eyewitness suggested she had later been hit by the vehicle.
However, the Home Office has confirmed that the woman was only taken to hospital as a precautionary measure and was not injured by the incident.
Other people were reportedly involved in the clash, which saw many people attack the vehicle before the enforcement officers were forced to call the police for back up.
According to the Home Office, four men from China were arrested after they were found to over overstayed their UK visas and were detained pending remove from the UK.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Following an intelligence-led visit to a business in Gerrard Street, London, yesterday evening, immigration enforcement officers requested assistance from the Metropolitan Police Service during a disturbance involving members of the public. Police attended but did not make any arrests.”
A fifth man who UK immigration officials believe entered the country illegally was also arrested and bailed provided he reports to the Home Office regularly.
Joy Luck Restaurant, where the men were working, has also been issued with a notice that warns it will receive a fine of up to £20,000 per illegal worker unless they can prove the workers’ paperwork was checked before they were allowed to work at the site.