THE case of Joy Bowman, who was to be deported to Jamaica (Echo, mar 13 and 14) is shocking, but unfortunately far from exceptional.

What is exceptional about Joy is that, like many others on Tyneside, she is taking collective action. Joy is not only concerned about her own situation, but is part of Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR).

TCAR has recently launched a Pledge of Resistance against the snatch squads that take families away and has called on the people of Tyneside to sign it.

The pledge reads: 'Because asylum seekers are refused a fair process for their applications, any deportation carried out at present from Britain must be considered unjust and illegal. Where the Government carries out actions which are against the principles of law and justice, then it is the duty of the people to oppose those actions by any means necessary...

'The Government wants to be able to snatch people quietly, in the early hours of the morning, when local people will not see. We will oppose them...

'When the snatch squads arrive in our local area we will arrive too, and we will stand between them and the family they intend to snatch.' Tom Vickers, TCAR (Tyneside Community Action for Refugees), Newcastle.