Protests against migrant accommodation in UK hotels

Several British cities were the scene of protests this Saturday against the accommodation of asylum seekers in hotels, with a strong police presence due to the presence of anti-migrant protesters and anti-racist groups.

Under the slogan “Abolish the asylum system”, several hundred people gathered in English cities such as Bristol, Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Liverpool, Wakefield, Newcastle and Horley, as well as in the Scottish cities of Aberdeen and Perth and the Welsh town of Mold to express their opposition to migrant hotels.

Groups that reject the protests also gathered in these locations, under the slogan “Confront racism”.

Although there were some clashes, no violent incidents occurred.

Security forces have mobilized a large number of officers as protests are growing across the country and more are expected on Sunday.

In Bristol, west England, police broke up rival groups in the Castle Park area and a 37-year-old woman was arrested for assault.

Chief Inspector Keith Smith of Avon and Somerset Police (West England) told reporters that the priority of security forces “was to facilitate peaceful and lawful protest by both groups”.

"Our officers handled a truly difficult situation admirably and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their professionalism. Although there were moments of unrest, we are pleased to report that both protests took place without significant incident," he added.

In these protests, anti-immigration protesters sang while draped in English flags and carried signs against hotels housing migrants, while chants of “this is not racism” were heard.

The other groups chanted “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” and carried signs calling for solidarity and an end to deportations.

Saturday's events followed tensions over the use of hotels to house migrants, a measure that Keir Starmer's Labour government has promised to eliminate by the end of the current parliamentary term - 2029 - but has warned that it will happen gradually and in an orderly manner.

The protests are also being triggered by a temporary injunction granted on Tuesday by London's High Court to Epping Town Council, on the outskirts of the British capital, to expel migrants from the Bell Hotel in that area on September 12.

The hotel was the scene of protests after Ethiopian migrant Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatuhursday was accused of sexual assault for allegedly trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl.

This Saturday, the leader of the right-wing populist Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, who is leading in the polls, said in an interview that he plans to carry out mass deportations of immigrants if his party comes to power.

"We have a massive crisis in the UK. Not only does it pose a threat to national security, but it's also sparking public outrage that, frankly, isn't far from disorder. There's only one way to stop people entering the UK: detain and deport them," he added.