One of London's top burger chains has been accused of tricking its migrant workers into immigration raids, attracting major flak from public. After dozens of its workers were arrested in a series of Home Office raids, Byron was alleged of having arranged a "fake" training day at its London restaurant, for its staff to attend.
The report first published in Spanish paper El Ibérico said over 50 workers, mainly Latin American, were arrested and deported with another 150 "in hiding". The Home Office said 35 people from Albania, Brazil, Nepal, and Egypt were arrested for immigration offences from a number of eateries in the Capital, adding that the operation was conducted with "full co-operation" of Byron. It however, denied all reports stating any kind of event was set up to trick workers. A HO spokesman said, "Immigration Enforcement officers carried out intelligence-led visits to a number of Byron restaurants across London on 4 July, arresting 35 people for immigration offences. The operation was carried out with the full co-operation of the business."
The office said Byron had carried out the correct 'right to work' checks on staff members, but had been shown false or counterfeit documentation, adding that the business would not face civil penalty action.
Meanwhile, the allegations have sent a wave of terror among workers and immigrants. People have rained over Byrons' reportedly "disgraced" treatment of staff, with some even calling for a boycott. Hundreds of protesters sought to demonstrate outsided a Byron restaurant in Holborn in solidarity with the workers earlier this week. A worker said, "People are angry and frightened by this situation. In the years I've been in the business I had never seen anything like it. I do not know if this is standard procedure."
A spokesman of the business said, "We can confirm that several of Byron's London restaurants were visited by representatives of the Home Office. These visits resulted in the removak 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." He added, "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."
