Bibby Stockholm: A controversial symbol for all that's wrong with asylum policy

From deadly bacteria to bedbugs, rotten nutrient to occurrence concerns - the Bibby's 18-month enactment successful Portland has been some melodramatic and tragic.

I retrieve tracking the tugboats arsenic the barge archetypal arrived successful Falmouth for a refit successful the summertime of 2023, earlier broadcasting unrecorded alongside the immense grey rectangle astatine sea, arsenic it floated into Dorset.

We were fixed entree to movie onboard the Bibby soon earlier the archetypal asylum seekers arrived.

Eight-metre-high spiked metallic fences surrounded it - constabulary guards astatine its entrance.

The Home Office spokesperson connected the crushed refuted my claims that this was similar a floating prison.

Onboard the rooms were basic, functional, good for a nighttime I thought - but not for months connected end.

We were determination connected the Monday successful August arsenic the archetypal 39 men arrived - but conscionable 4 days aboriginal we were backmost astatine the gates of Portland Port, arsenic a manager evacuated them.

The legionella bacteria outbreak wrong the Bibby's h2o strategy was the archetypal of a litany of problems and it was wide the barge was going to beryllium a arguable awesome for each that was incorrect with asylum policy.

"I tin warrant you astir of the radical successful the barge took slump tablets, astir of us, adjacent me," Omar tells me.

The asylum seeker from Yemen was housed connected the Bibby for six months - he's present successful the North East, inactive awaiting a determination connected his future.

"To springiness you the existent idea, it is worse than being imprisoned. I haven't been imprisoned successful my full life, but present erstwhile radical inquire I accidental 'yeah, I've been connected the Bibby Stockholm,'" helium added.

Local sentiment successful Portland was mixed and tense. Most months determination were tiny protests.

Some were angry, disquieted astir an influx of 500 men to an isle with a colonisation of 13,000.

Many supportive - delivering invited packs of chocolate, flowers and toothbrushes to the larboard gates.

Our adjacent dash down for breaking quality came successful December 2023. We had heard reports of constabulary and ambulances rushing to the barge overnight.

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The death of Leonard Farruku, 27, onboard the barge highlighted the intelligence wellness situation galore of the residents were facing. It's understood he took his ain life - an inquest into his decease volition proceed aboriginal this year.

In July 2024, the caller Labour authorities announced it would not renew the declaration to tally the Bibby and the barge would beryllium handed backmost by the extremity of January.

All asylum seekers were rehoused by the extremity of November.

For those who were enactment onboard, similar Omar, the Bibby's departure is invited news: "We are benignant of blessed due to the fact that nary much radical volition look the aforesaid issue, this is what makes america blessed to beryllium honorable with you. No 1 volition travel and endure similar america before."

January 2025 - and arsenic we stood connected slipway by the larboard gates, the Bibby remains successful dock, floating empty.

One section asks america if it's gone yet, "They'll astir apt sneak it retired successful the dormant of night," helium adds.

For a big of reasons, determination volition not beryllium galore present who volition miss it.

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