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Pro- and anti-migrant protesters face off at London hotel housing asylum seekers Pro- and anti-migrant protesters face off at London hotel housing asylum seekers
(about 4 hours later)
Anti-racism protesters outnumber those opposing hotel being used as Home Office accommodation Anti-racism campaigners outnumber those opposing hotel being used as Home Office accommodation
Anti-racism demonstrators have turned out in large numbers outside a London hotel where asylum seekers are being housed to counter-protest against those opposed to it being used as Home Office accommodation. Anti-racism demonstrators turned out in large numbers on Saturday outside a London hotel where asylum seekers are being housed to counter-protest against those opposed to it being used as Home Office accommodation.
Both groups of protesters gathered near the Thistle City Barbican hotel in Islington, north London.Both groups of protesters gathered near the Thistle City Barbican hotel in Islington, north London.
The Metropolitan police said the anti-hotel protest was organised by a number of people under the banner “Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no”, but it has since been endorsed by groups from outside the area. Police later said that a number of arrests had been made after scuffles broke out.
The Metropolitan police wrote on X that officers had cleared a junction where counter-protesters had assembled in breach of the conditions in place.
“There have been nine arrests so far, with seven for breaching Public Order Act conditions,” the force said.
The police said the anti-hotel protest was organised by a number of people under the banner “Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no”, but it has since been endorsed by groups from outside the area.
Online groups that have voiced support for the protest include Patriots of Britain and Together for the Children.Online groups that have voiced support for the protest include Patriots of Britain and Together for the Children.
One speaker at the anti-hotel protest, which had a turnout of about 100 people, claimed counter-protesters had been paid by “the Labour government and the trade unions” to attend.One speaker at the anti-hotel protest, which had a turnout of about 100 people, claimed counter-protesters had been paid by “the Labour government and the trade unions” to attend.
Some of those who had gathered across the road from the hotel wore Mega (Make England great again) hats and one man was heard chanting “Get these scum off our streets” towards the hotel.Some of those who had gathered across the road from the hotel wore Mega (Make England great again) hats and one man was heard chanting “Get these scum off our streets” towards the hotel.
Directly outside the hotel, hundreds of people attended a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism and supported by the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is the MP for Islington North, located on the other side of the borough. They far outnumbered the anti-hotel protesters.Directly outside the hotel, hundreds of people attended a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism and supported by the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is the MP for Islington North, located on the other side of the borough. They far outnumbered the anti-hotel protesters.
Some people in the hotel could be seen watching the demonstration from their windows. Sarah Bailey, 63, who is retired, held a sign that said: “To everyone in the hotel, you are valued, wanted [and] welcome.Some people in the hotel could be seen watching the demonstration from their windows. Sarah Bailey, 63, who is retired, held a sign that said: “To everyone in the hotel, you are valued, wanted [and] welcome.
She said: “I know somebody that has connections with this hotel. I thought it was so important, because I realised they would be looking out of the windows, that we send a positive sign saying you are all these three things.She said: “I know somebody that has connections with this hotel. I thought it was so important, because I realised they would be looking out of the windows, that we send a positive sign saying you are all these three things.
“I think it’s so important to show people that have come here seeking safety and protection that they are welcome and to stand up to those who scare and bully them.”“I think it’s so important to show people that have come here seeking safety and protection that they are welcome and to stand up to those who scare and bully them.”
Pat Prendergast, 21, said: “I want people to feel safe. I think the [anti-hotel protesters] over there are making people feel unsafe. I want to stand up in solidarity and say that, you know, we want people here.”Pat Prendergast, 21, said: “I want people to feel safe. I think the [anti-hotel protesters] over there are making people feel unsafe. I want to stand up in solidarity and say that, you know, we want people here.”
A separate group of masked protesters, dressed in black and chanting “we are anti-fascist”, appeared from a sidestreet and marched towards the anti-hotel demonstration.
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The Met said plans were in place to “respond to any protest activity in the vicinity of other hotels in London being used to accommodate asylum seekers”. A separate group of masked protesters, dressed in black and chanting “we are anti-fascist”, appeared from a sidestreet and marched towards the anti-hotel demonstration.
A protest and counter-protest were also due in Newcastle outside the New Bridge hotel on Saturday. Online posts were advertising a “For our children, for our future” protest outside the hotel. Manchester was the scene of further clashes between rival protesters later on Saturday.
A “stop the far right and fascists in Newcastle” counter-protest was organised by Stand Up to Racism at the nearby Laing art gallery. Demonstrators calling for mass “remigration” gathered in the city centre for a march organised by the far-right Britain First group, which was confronted by anti-racism groups.
On Friday evening, about 100 people attended a protest outside the Stanwell hotel in Spelthorne. Surrey police said a packet of lit firelighters was thrown at officers at the demonstration. The force added that a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson and inquiries were continuing to trace another suspect. The groups clashed briefly at the start of the protest before being split up police, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
“Send them back, don’t let them in – just stop them coming in, we’ve got hotels full of immigrants and we’ve got our own homeless people in the streets begging for food but nowhere to live,” said protester Brendan O’Reilly, 66.
Counter-protester Judy, a 60-year-old retired nurse, told AFP she was there “because I don’t want to see people full of hate on the streets of Manchester”.
She added: “Do they want them all to go back or is it just people with brown skin? I suspect it’s just people with brown skin that they want to remigrate.”