Protests erupted across England, Wales and Scotland over plans to use hotels to house asylum seekers, with demonstrations in cities including Bristol, Liverpool and London and towns such as Mold and Perth. A recent High Court ruling blocked a hotel in Epping, Essex, and some local authorities are considering legal challenges. Police intervened to separate opposing groups, with officers in riot gear and on horseback in Bristol. Large UKIP-led marches in Liverpool were met by anti-racism campaigners. Police are deploying extra officers and using special powers, and further protests are planned over the weekend.
Protests over the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers have been held across the UK. Demonstrators gathered in parts of England including Bristol, Liverpool and London, as well as in Mold in Wales and Perth in Scotland. There have been no reports of serious trouble though police have had to step in to keep opposing groups separated, in places where anti-racism campaigners mounted counter-demonstrations.
In Bristol several hundred anti-racism protesters were held apart from their opponents in Castle Park by police in riot gear and on horseback for almost two hours with some pushing at police lines in an attempt to get through. They outnumbered dozens of anti-migrant campaigners. Bristol City Council has said it has no plans to challenge the government in using hotels to house asylum seekers in the city.
In Liverpool more than 400 people turned out for a march called by UKIP calling for migrants to be deported. They were opposed by a few hundred people from Stand Up To Racism, and the Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network. Protests also took place in Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Wakefield, Newcastle and Horley in Surrey. Police forces are deploying extra officers over the weekend, and using special powers enabling them to require people to move away from the area.
Collection
[
|
...
]