Protests and Counter-Protests Erupt Across UK Over Asylum Seeker Hotels
Demonstrations have taken place across the UK in response to the government’s continued use of hotels to house asylum seekers. The protests, which occurred in cities and towns across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, were met by counter-demonstrators advocating for refugee rights and anti-racism.
Protest sites included Bristol, Liverpool, London, Mold (Wales), Perth (Scotland), and County Antrim (Northern Ireland), among others. In many locations, police were deployed to maintain order and keep opposing groups apart.
The protests follow a recent High Court decision that temporarily blocked the use of a hotel in Epping, Essex, for housing asylum seekers. The ruling, which cited breaches of local planning regulations and public safety concerns, has prompted other local councils in England to consider legal action against similar accommodations.
In Bristol, several hundred anti-racism demonstrators gathered in Castle Park, significantly outnumbering a smaller group of anti-migrant protesters. Police in riot gear and on horseback kept the groups separated for nearly two hours. One woman, aged 37, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Bristol City Council stated it has no intention of challenging the government’s use of hotels for asylum seekers within the city.
In Liverpool, more than 400 people joined a UKIP-led march calling for the deportation of migrants. They were met by several hundred counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism and the Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network. Merseyside Police reported 11 arrests for offences including assault, affray, and public intoxication.
Similar demonstrations took place in Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Wakefield, Newcastle, and Horley in Surrey. In Perth, around 150 protesters gathered outside the Radisson Blu hotel with signs demanding the removal of asylum seekers. Across the street, over 200 counter-protesters displayed banners reading “No to Racism” and “Refugees Welcome.”
In Mold, approximately 300 people protested a potential plan to house asylum seekers in flats above a retail unit. They were met by a counter-protest of about 40 people. Meanwhile, in County Antrim, 40 individuals demonstrated outside a hotel currently accommodating asylum seekers. The local council has launched an investigation into the hotel’s planning status.
Police forces across the country increased their presence over the weekend, using special powers to disperse crowds and maintain public order. In Surrey, three people were arrested outside the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel—two for breach of the peace and one for violating a community protection notice. Officers kept around 100 protesters separated from 30 counter-demonstrators carrying anti-racism signs.
More protests are expected to take place in various parts of the UK on Sunday.
Saturday’s demonstrations are part of a growing wave of protests in recent weeks. Tensions escalated last month in Epping, Essex, after an asylum seeker staying at the Bell Hotel was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The incident sparked protests and ultimately led to the High Court injunction halting the hotel’s use for asylum accommodation.
The UK government is appealing the court’s decision. Under current law, the UK is obligated to provide housing for asylum seekers who would otherwise be left destitute while awaiting decisions on their claims.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has reiterated the government’s commitment to phasing out the use of hotels for asylum seekers, but emphasized that closures must be handled in a “properly managed way.”
Government figures released on Thursday show that 32,059 asylum seekers are currently being housed in hotels—an 8% increase since Labour took office, though still below the peak recorded in 2023.
Source: bbc.com