IMMIGRATION crackdown squads have marched down Queen’s Crescent in a move which has been dubbed part of a “hostile environment” – rather than a “borough of sanctuary”.

Specialist officers in dark uniforms and stab vests piled out of three unmarked vans last Wednesday and later took away a young man.

The New Journal understands it was one of several raids on independent businesses in the borough this year.

Camden Council said it is not informed when the Home Office decides to act in this way.

The timing of the raid, compared by some with Donald Trump’s ICE team checks in the United States, has been seen as unhelpful as it is only a week since council leader Labour councillor Richard Olszewski tried to calm tensions caused by protests against immigration in the centre of London.

In a strongly worded article for last week’s CNJ, he insisted Camden was a welcoming borough that celebrated diversity.

A group of shocked traders and residents gathered around the vans last week in support of the man being asked to prove his status.

Figures from a Freedom of Information request show there were at least 74 immigration raids in Camden last year – and the Home Office said this week they would be stepping up action.

Across Camden, nail bars, tanning salons, car washes and convenience stores have been visited.

There are concerns about the raid numbers rising, the impact on the community, and that they appear to be falling under the radar of the Town Hall, given officials and councillors aren’t aware of when they take place or how many have resulted in anybody being found to have done anything wrong or not.

Tara Copeland, who lives in Queen’s Crescent and is part of a group that campaigns against immigration raids, said: “Residents from the area and other local shop workers and owners were on the street voicing their disgust and anger towards the officers and the situation that was unfolding on their road.

“I gathered from speaking to other witnesses after the incident, that the man who was taken away was a well-liked and well-known member of their community.

“People were left shocked and frightened by the raid and angry at the harm it has caused their community.”

Farrell Monk, another Camden resident opposing the raids and a Lib Dem council candidate, said: “The council often talks about how welcoming Camden is, how proud they are of the diversity in our borough, but the communities which have been paramount in building such a rich mixture of culture and heritage are most at risk of being relentlessly targeted by raids.

“Raids like these not only instil fear and distrust in our neighbourhoods, but they perpetuate violence towards marginalised individuals, which is not very in keeping with the values of Camden as a borough. I think it’s important that people are aware of the harm being enacted upon their neighbours and fellow residents, workers, and business owners.”

Last week, Cllr Olszewski issued a response to the rising tide of “reductive politics” and anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from parties like Reform in a comment piece in the New Journal.

He said: “Camden is immensely proud to be a Borough of Sanctuary – a place that is committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for people seeking refuge from war and persecution… We know that London’s multicultural communities are thriving, and we must all do more to make sure no one is left behind.”

Camden Council declined to comment on the raids or the suggestion that the “borough of sanctuary” had been compromised by the raids that weeks, and Cllr Olszewski said it was up to the Home Office to explain its actions.

“Our work as a borough of sanctuary carries on and I have been very strong in support of it,” he said.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Illegal working undermines honest employers, undercuts local wages, and fuels the criminal industry of immigration crime. This government is determined to clamp down on that illegal activity in every sector where it occurs, including the hairdressing and beauty treatment industry.

“Under this government, enforcement action nationwide has increased, with visits and arrests up by around 50 per cent on the previous twelve months, and we will be stepping up that action further in the year ahead.”