Immigration: Demonstrations in Manchester over arrest of Viraj Mendis and threats to deport him

Immigration: Demonstrations in Manchester over arrest of Viraj Mendis and threats to deport him; b) (Taylor, Lindsey) PICTURES VIDEO ex ENG (ITN Garner) via GRANADA London: Westminster: INT CMS ALISTAIR DARLING MP (Labour Immigration spokesman) INTVW SOF - I am astonished that 100 police were dispatched to the rectory in order to arrest Mr Mendis. The fact that damage was caused, the fact that the telephone and the burglar alarm were cut beforehand. That is not the sort of behaviour we expect, and it appears to be a grosse over reaction. ' London: Westminster: Home Office: INT CMS TIMOTHY RENTON MP (Home Office Minister) Interview SOF (Police had to break down church doors in order to seize Mendis, since Father Methuen had said he did not have keys for the doors) - 'At no time I was told were there more than 16 police in the church, it was alas, evidently for two doors to be damaged because the Priest in charge Father Methuen told the immigration office that he had not got the keys to these two doors. And therefore in order to gain access they had to be opened. That's a pity. but if the keys had been there it wouldn't have happened.' CMS David Haslem (British Council of Churches) interview SOF - 'We were very surprised and disappointed and deeply regret the fact that the Home Secretary saw fit to instruct police to enter a place of worship and to remove someone by force... since the middle ages'. TX 18.1.89/C4N