Students have committed to challenging the re-opening of a “de-humanising” detention centre in Oxfordshire after over 140 academics and student bodies at Oxford University signed an open letter to the Home Office.

Campsfield House is an immigration detention centre on Langford Lane in Kidlington and in 2017 it was forced to close after significant local protests.

The government recently set out plans to re-open the site and a re-development could result in a new 400-bedroom immigration removal centre for men.

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Oxford Mail: Students protesting outside the Radcliffe CameraStudents protesting outside the Radcliffe Camera (Image: Ed Halford)

Oxford University students were out in full force on Friday afternoon, June 16, to show their solidarity with refugees and to express their opposition to the government’s plans.

The letter has been signed by the principal of Mansfield College, Helen Mountfield, student societies such as STAR Oxford and the student union.

The protest outside the Radcliffe Camera at 1pm included members of the public but largely comprised of students.

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Students held up a "Coalition to Keep Campsfield Closed" banner and loudly chanted “we are hear from the University of Oxford to say keep Campsfield closed”.

Oxford Mail: Students outside the Radcliffe CameraStudents outside the Radcliffe Camera (Image: Ed Halford)

Juliet Van Gyseghem, president of student action for refugees, admitted students could be “quite insular” but said it was important the university’s community was “engaged” with issues which could have great consequence in the county.

She said: “The university recently received sanctuary status, so we believe it is important to realise this substantially and not only play lip service to these values.”

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Ms Gyseghem said students would travel to the detention centre to continue to express their disapproval with the decision if the government ignored their letter.

Oxford Mail: Students protesting outside the Radcliffe Camera with their bannerStudents protesting outside the Radcliffe Camera with their banner (Image: Ed Halford)

Cherwell District Council received a planning application on May 23, which was submitted on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, and this revealed plans to demolish temporary buildings and structures around the main building.

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Anna-Tina Jashapara, 22, the student union’s vice president of charities and communities, said the open letter to the government was about “raising the profile” of the campaign so people in the broader community knew more about plans to re-open the centre.

Oxford Mail: Vice president of charities and communities Anna-Tina JashaparaVice president of charities and communities Anna-Tina Jashapara (Image: Ed Halford)

She said: “We don’t know what the response is going to be to our open letter, but I think there are a number of other avenues.”

Martha Hamiliton, a support worker at Asylum Welcome, said the detention centre’s conditions were “pretty hideous” before it closed and she criticised all political parties for not pushing back hard enough against the “de-humanising centre and rhetoric”.

A Home Office spokesman previously said: “The government is committed to the removal of foreign criminals and those with no right to be in the UK.

“Immigration removal centres play a vital role in controlling our borders.

"The new site at Campsfield House will help to ensure we effectively deal with those who are here illegally.

“As plans progress, we will continue to engage with the local community, the police and other interested parties.”