Protests against migrant hotels erupted across Britain this weekend, with hundreds of demonstrators gathering in Norwich, Bournemouth, Leeds and Portsmouth, as public fury mounted over asylum seeker accommodation following sexual assault convictions linked to a Norwich hotel.
In Bowthorpe, Norwich, hundreds of protesters chanted “we want our country back” and “Keir Starmer’s a w*****” outside the Brook Hotel, one of two sites in Norwich used by the Home Office to house migrants. The demonstrations followed the jailing of two asylum seekers from the same hotel for serious sexual offences, with protesters holding placards featuring images of the convicted men.
Counter-protesters waving Revolutionary Communist Party flags clashed with demonstrators, prompting police intervention when three masked anti-racism activists attempted to force their way past officers. The confrontation resulted in what police described as “some scuffles” requiring additional crowd control measures.
The Brook Hotel has become a flashpoint for community anger since April, when Dan Tesfalul, a 27-year-old Eritrean who arrived in Britain by small boat, was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a woman outside Qube nightclub in Norwich. Detective Constable Dave Block confirmed the attack occurred in May 2024 after Tesfalul followed his victim from the club.
Judge Alice Robinson branded Tesfalul an “extremely dangerous” offender who had demonstrated a “predatory sexual manner”. The court heard he had specifically targeted his vulnerable victim, who was unable to defend herself during the assault.
Another asylum seeker from the same hotel, Rashid Al-Waeli, received a 20-month prison sentence after admitting to three attempted child sex offences and an indecent image offence. Local residents Sarah White said the convictions had left families terrified, stating: “Women and families are terrified. People are living in fear when this is their home. They should not feel unsafe.”
In Bournemouth, protesters gathered outside another hotel holding slogans reading “bring back Rwanda”, “two-tier Keir, two-tier policing” and “it’s not racist, it’s a national security risk”. Two migrants arriving with their belongings in bin bags were met with chants of “send them back” from the assembled crowd.
Leeds witnessed similar scenes as demonstrators shouted “get back in your rubber dinghies” to those inside an asylum seeker hotel. The protests reflect growing public discontent over the government’s handling of illegal immigration and the cost of housing asylum seekers.
In Epping, Essex, more than 2,000 people are expected to protest today outside a hotel that has become a focal point of the migrant hotel backlash. The demonstrations began after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a local girl, prompting Essex Police to implement a dispersal order and establish what they called a “robust policing operation” to manage potential disorder.
The Epping protests have sparked political controversy after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed “heads must roll” after footage emerged seemingly showing Essex Police escorting counter-protesters towards a hotel housing asylum seekers. Essex Police strongly denied Farage’s allegations, with a spokesperson stating they “categorically did not drive any counter protesters to the site on any occasion”.
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington defended his officers’ actions, explaining: “There is a duty upon policing to allow people to exercise their rights of assembly and protest. That’s a right under the Human Rights Act. He confirmed ten arrests had been made in connection with violence surrounding the Bell Hotel protests.
The protests occur against a backdrop of increasing costs and numbers in asylum accommodation. According to the latest Home Office data, 32,345 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels by the end of March 2025, with 210 hotels currently in use across the country. This represents a 9% increase from when Labour formed the government in July 2024.
Lord Davies of Gower recently told the House of Lords that “housing asylum seekers in hotels costs taxpayers over £8 million a day (nearly £3bn a year)”, highlighting the significant financial burden on public resources. The think tank Policy Exchange estimated the annual cost of the small boats crisis at approximately £3.5 billion.
The government faces mounting pressure to address the situation, with Labour having pledged to end the use of asylum hotels during their election campaign. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in June 2025 that the government intends to end “the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this Parliament”, though no specific timeline has been provided.
Channel crossings continue to surge, with the 10,000 mark of illegal migrants crossing the Channel reached before the end of April this year, more than a month earlier than in 2024. The Home Office forecast suggests crossings could reach 85,000 by year’s end, potentially setting another record.
Rob Bates, director of the Centre for Migration Control, commented on public sentiment: “Under this Labour Government, the asylum system will continue to cost the British taxpayer billions of pounds each and every year. It is no wonder that the public has had enough of the asylum con.”
The weekend’s protests highlight deepening divisions in British communities over immigration policy, with residents expressing genuine safety concerns following serious criminal convictions whilst counter-protesters defend asylum seekers’ rights. As demonstrations continue to spread across the country, the government faces increasing pressure to deliver on its promises to reform the asylum system and reduce reliance on hotel accommodation.
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