Anti-immigration activists and counter-protesters clashed in cities across Britain this weekend, as demonstrations targeting hotels housing asylum seekers spread to 14 locations nationwide. The protests, which saw confrontations in London, Essex, Birmingham, Leeds, Norwich and other major cities, reflect mounting public anger over the government’s use of taxpayer-funded accommodation for migrants.
Police forces deployed hundreds of officers to maintain order as rival groups faced off outside hotels being used as temporary asylum accommodation. The Metropolitan Police made nine arrests in London’s Barbican area, where demonstrators converged outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, whilst similar scenes unfolded in Manchester, Portsmouth and Southampton.
The weekend’s unrest comes amid heightened tensions over immigration policy, with 210 hotels currently housing 32,345 asylum seekers across the UK. The Home Office has spent £15 billion on private contractors such as Serco to manage the accommodation, a figure that has fuelled public discontent during a cost-of-living crisis.
In Norwich, hundreds of protesters chanted “we want our country back” outside the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe, where counter-protesters waving Revolutionary Communist Party flags attempted to force their way past police lines. Norfolk Police Superintendent Wes Hornigold confirmed the protest remained largely peaceful, stating: “We put measures in place today to enable people to exercise their right to protest, whilst maintaining safety and minimising disruption.
The demonstrations have been particularly intense in Epping, Essex, where protests have continued for weeks following the arrest of a 41-year-old Ethiopian asylum seeker charged with sexual assault. Hadush Kebatu denies all charges and remains in custody awaiting trial in August. Essex Police Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow condemned what he called “mindless thuggery” after eight officers were injured during violent clashes last month.
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 Brendan O’Reilly, 66, a protester in Manchester where the far-right group Britain First organised a “March for Remigration.
Counter-protester Judy, a 60-year-old retired nurse, told reporters: “I don’t want to see people full of hate on the streets of Manchester. 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 re-migrate.”
The protests have been fuelled by several high-profile criminal cases involving asylum seekers. In Norwich, Dan Tesfalul from Eritrea was jailed for eight years for raping a woman, whilst Rashid Al-Waeli received 20 months for attempted child sex offences. Both men had been staying at the Brook Hotel, which has become a focal point for demonstrations.
Stand Up to Racism organised counter-protests in multiple locations, including Islington, Portsmouth, Aldershot, Leicester, Birmingham and Bournemouth. The group’s co-founder Sabby Dhalu stated: “This weekend sees the greatest number of protests targeting refugees that are in hotels accommodating asylum seekers since last year’s racist riots.
The Metropolitan Police faces additional pressure ahead of Saturday’s anticipated pro-Palestine gathering in central London. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan warned: “This is going to be a particularly busy few days in London with many simultaneous protests and events that will require a significant policing presence.
Public Order Act conditions have been imposed on several demonstrations, with police instructing counter-protesters to remain in designated areas. In Altrincham, a GB News journalist was struck by a placard whilst attempting to interview anti-racism protesters, prompting a police response.
The protests reflect deeper societal tensions over immigration policy. YouGov polling reveals that 46% of Britons now consider immigration the most important issue facing the country, whilst Reform UK has surged to lead voting intention polls at 29%, capitalising on anti-immigration sentiment.
Local councils have responded to community concerns, with Epping Forest District Council unanimously voting to call on the government to “immediately and permanently close” the Bell Hotel for asylum processing purposes. The Park Hotel in Diss has gone further, stating it would close down rather than accept single male asylum seekers.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman backed protests in Waterlooville, Hampshire, where flats were reportedly being prepared for asylum seekers. The intervention by the senior Conservative figure has added political weight to the grassroots demonstrations.
Intelligence analysts have identified immigration as one of three key protest themes expected to cause significant disruption throughout 2025, alongside climate change and farmer unrest. The rapid spread of online misinformation has been identified as a contributing factor, with social media platforms abandoning independent fact-checkers in favour of community notes.
We are working to close hotels, restore order, and put fairness and value for money at the heart of the asylum system,” said Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum. The government aims to end the use of hotels by 2029, implementing a “Failure to Travel” policy that risks withdrawing support from asylum seekers who refuse alternative accommodation.
With more than 25,000 migrants arriving in the UK via Channel crossings this year, including 898 on Wednesday alone, the pressure on accommodation continues to mount. The Home Office reports reducing asylum hotel usage by 70 during Labour’s first year in power, but critics argue this falls far short of addressing public concerns.
As tensions continue to simmer, police forces across the country remain on high alert for potential escalation. The spectre of last summer’s riots, which saw attempts to burn down a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, looms large over current protests. Authorities fear that without meaningful reform to immigration policy and asylum accommodation, the current wave of demonstrations could spark wider unrest.
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