Protests planned after Byron Burger 'helps' Home Office deport 35 workers in immigration raid

Protests have been planned following the news that restaurant chain Byron Burger invited its foreign employees to a training day, where immigration officials were waiting to inspect their residency documents.

Employees from 15 stores were questioned at what was billed by the company as a health and safety awareness day, with 35 people from Albania, Brazil, Nepal and Egypt arrested in the 4 July raid and deported.

At least 1,000 people have confirmed they will be attending a protest at the chain's High Holborn branch planned for 1 August at 6.30pm. The event will be co-hosted by United Voices of the World Union, London Latinxs, Black Dissidents, London IWW, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, South London Solfed, War On Want and Global Justice Now.

A post on the planned protest Facebook page stated: "Byron have acted shamefully and have made an example of themselves as a deeply disrespectful employer.

"Our protest aims to shine a spotlight on this unethical behaviour, deter it from happening anywhere else, and to support workers still working at the restaurants to resist exploitation."

The group added: "Those deported were mostly Latin American workers. It is not clear what kind of shock and hardship their families in London are now experiencing, or whether the workers were paid their wages or any monies owed by the company.

"Some of the deported workers had worked for Byron for four years. Byron were happy to use them all that time and then discard them and ruin lives overnight.

"We stand in solidarity with the deported Byron workers and all migrant workers - papers or no papers.

"No human being is illegal. No one is disposable. If Byron is prepared to treat one group of workers like this, how is it treating others in their workplaces?"

There has also been a backlash against Byron Burger on social media, with the hashtag #boycottByron trending on Twitter, with some suggesting the company treated its employees inhumanely by handing them over to the Home Office.

One user wrote: "I understand #byronburgers had to comply with the home office but setting up a fake training day to trap and deport people is disgusting."

However, others praised the company for helping the Home Office to deport people who were working illegally.

The protest is being supported by the deputy leader of the Green Party, Amelia Womack, who said in a statement: "These reports are deeply shocking. If these accusations are true then the bosses at Byron should be utterly ashamed of themselves for turning people's lives upside down.

"People who are settled and working in the UK should be able to apply for residency so as to continue contributing to our society and our economy."

The company did not confirm or deny reports it orchestrated the training day in order to snare employees working illegally, but said in a statement: "We can confirm that several of Byron's London restaurants were visited by representatives of the Home Office.

"These visits resulted in the removal of members of staff who are suspected by the Home Office of not having the right to work in the UK, and of possessing fraudulent personal and right to work documentation that is in breach of immigration and employment regulation.

"The Home Office recognises that Byron as an employer is fully compliant with immigration and asylum law in its employment practices, and that Byron had carried out the correct 'right to work' checks on staff members, but had been shown false/counterfeit documentation.

"At Byron we are proud of the diversity of our restaurant teams, built around people of all backgrounds and all walks of life. We have cooperated fully and acted upon the Home Office's requests throughout the course of the investigations leading to this action, and will continue to do so."