How church became centre of deportation stand-off

In December 1986, a man sought refuge in a Manchester church, invoking the “right of sanctuary” amidst fears for his life. Fr John and the VMDC rallied to support him, facing serious backlash, including racist threats and violence. Their efforts included marches and public debates, gaining substantial media attention. After 760 days, police forcibly removed the man, Mendis, from the church in January 1989, and he was deported back to Sri Lanka shortly after. Mendis believed that his high-profile case protected him from harm by the authorities back home.

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