G4S is the UK's biggest private security company, with its government contracts alone worth over £600 million. Responsible for security services, managing detention centres, prisons, and 675 court and police station holding cells, G4S have also just been granted the £100 million contract for providing 10,000 security guards for the upcoming olympics.

Whilst G4S still seem to be government favourites, their record is far from spotless. The firm lost their previous 'forcible deportation' contract last September after receiving 773 complaints of abuse – both verbal and physical. The final straw came with the death of Jimmy Mubenga in October 2010, an Angolan asylum seeker who died as a result of his forced deportation by G4S guards. Two of the guards are on bail facing criminal charges, whilst G4S is still waiting to hear whether they are to face corporate manslaughter charges.

Now, asylum seekers in Yorkshire and Humberside are expected to accept this multi-national, money-hungry, security company as their landlords.

Sunday, 3 June 2012

G4S News Update 28th May - 3rd June


G4S News Update 28th May - 3rd June

G4S refutes claims that the company are set to operate in Libya without formal approval, Libya Herald, May 28th 2012: In post-revolutionary Libya, G4S are supposedly planning to start operating their private security services on Libyan soil without government authorisation. G4S states that this claim is unfounded. 

Female asylum seeker and her 12 week old baby moved from Bradford home to slum flat in Doncaster, Open Democracy, May 30th 2012: As transition begins in Yorkshire, United Property Management (G4S' chosen subcontractors) have started to evict asylum seeking tenants from homes in the region. This young mother was given barely 1 weeks notice before she was moved to a flat in Doncaster with no cooker, sofa or chairs and with a only a tiny sink for washing. (Also covered in 24Dash w/photographs)

Full list of bidders for police contracts in the West Midlands and Surrey published, Birmingham Post, May 31st 2012: The full list of preferred bidders for the police privatisation contracts in the West Midlands and Surrey has recently been published. 

Cambridgeshire Police look to privatise support staff to plug funding shortfalls, Hunts Post, June 1st 2012: Following in the footsteps of Lincolnshire Police, Cambridgeshire Police are putting plans in motion to privatise back room 'support' staff in their regional police stations. 

London lawyer takes on G4S' involvement in Israeli security in occupied territories, The Electronic Intifada, June 1st 2012: A London lawyer, and active supporter of Jews for Justice for Palestine, has been interviewed by The Electronic Intifada about G4S Israel's involvement in detention and security in Palestinian territories. 

G4S whistleblower loses job after claiming overstretched G4S staff were cutting corners when recruiting staff for London's Olympics, The Northerner Echo, June 2nd 2012: A woman from Darlington was told not to return to G4S offices after talking to the media about her fears that G4S' systems were cracking under the pressure of thousand of applications for security jobs during the Olympics. (Subsequently covered in the Daily Mail on the 5th June).

OTHER UPDATES//NEWS
- New Corporate Watch update on G4S' interests in occupied territories in Palestine, social housing and international security launched on the 31st May. 
- Stop G4S! Protest at G4S Annual General Meeting
12:30pm, Thursday June 7
London Stock Exchange, Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7LS - see the following website for more info. 
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