Protest to stop Ugandan's removal

Ms Byansi is described as an upstanding community member

About 70 people have held a demonstration in Glasgow calling for the release of a Ugandan asylum seeker and her children.

Zahra Byansi and her two sons were arrested at Brand Street immigration centre in Govan on Monday.

Campaign group Positive Action in Housing claims the family are due to be deported to Uganda on 17 January.

Campaigners said Ms Byansi was an upstanding member of the community who should be allowed to stay in Scotland.

The family were taken to the Dungavel asylum detention centre in South Lanarkshire but have now been moved to Yarls Wood Immigration Removal Centre in England.

Their application for asylum in Scotland had been refused.

The Home Office said it would not comment on individual cases.

A spokesman added: "Failed asylum seekers who have no right to remain in the country will be removed.

"The government will take a robust approach to their removal... This is done in the most sensitive way possible."

Ms Byansi and her two children, aged five and 12, had lived in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow for four years.

Demonstrators protested at the immigration centre

SNP MSP for Glasgow Sandra White said she had been "targeted" for removal because of her high profile campaigning for other asylum seekers.

She said: "The unfortunate thing is people come along here to Brand St to sign and they have to give their fingerprints.

"They are taken to another room, put in a van and swooped down to Yarls Wood without being able to go back to get their belongings.

"That is inhuman and has to stop."

Campaigner Amal Azzudin visited Ms Byansi in Dungavel earlier in the week.

She said: "Her son, who is five, said 'tell my teachers I am holiday'. What kind of holiday is that, to be locked up? It is something that will scar him for life."

Ms Azzudin said Ms Byansi's older son was very depressed by the experience.