London, Aug 24(HS):
Nationwide demonstrations over the housing of asylum seekers in hotels erupted across the UK on Saturday, with police deployed in force to separate rival groups of protesters and counter-protesters.
Marches and rallies were reported from Bristol and Liverpool to London, Exeter, Perth, Mold and County Antrim, as anti-migrant campaigners faced off against anti-racism groups in tense stand-offs.
In Bristol, riot police and mounted units kept several hundred anti-racism demonstrators apart from dozens of anti-migrant protesters for nearly two hours, while in Liverpool, 11 arrests were made during a rally organised by UKIP that drew more than 400 people calling for deportations. Counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism and the Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network staged a rival march.
Similar scenes unfolded elsewhere: in Perth, Scotland, 150 protesters calling for asylum seekers’ removal clashed verbally with more than 200 counter-demonstrators chanting “refugees welcome.” In Mold, north Wales, around 300 people opposed plans to house asylum seekers in flats, facing a smaller but vocal anti-racism presence. Hotels in Surrey and County Antrim also drew heated gatherings, with several arrests reported.
The wave of protests follows a High Court ruling blocking the use of a hotel in Epping, Essex, to accommodate asylum seekers, with judges citing breaches of planning law and risks to public safety. The Home Office has signalled it will appeal.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reiterated that the government aims to close all asylum hotels but cautioned that the process must be carried out “in a properly managed way.” Government figures released last week showed 32,059 asylum seekers currently being housed in hotels — an 8% increase since Labour took office, though still below the 2023 peak.
More demonstrations are expected on Sunday as the debate over asylum housing intensifies.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar