Thousands have joined demonstrations against hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers as a wave of weekend protests take place across the UK.
An asylum hotel in Orpington, south-east London was the target of one protest on Friday night, which saw dozens of people shout “Get them out” and “Save our children” while others held Union and England flags.
Counter protesters, who had marched to the TLK, could be seen holding banners and Stand Up To Racism placards which read ‘Refugees welcome, Stop the far right’.
A large police cordon was formed in between the two groups and the hotel. The Metropolitan Police later confirmed that no arrests were made.
In the town of Cheshunt, which neighbours Enfield in north London more than 250 anti-immigration protesters blocked an A road and set off red flares.
Rule, Britannia! Blared from speakers as the group protested at the Delta Marriott hotel.
Protests have been held in communities across the UK this weekend, including (clockwise from top left) Orpington in south-east London, Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, Perth and Bristol
PA
Barriers were erected around the hotel and police were there in large numbers.
A former leader of the far-right group Homeland was seen in the Cheshunt demo, according to The Times.
Protesters briefly shut a road as some carried signs saying “I support Tommy Robinson”, “Two Tier Kier” and “Leave our kids alone”.
Dozens of people took part in protests in Orpington on Friday night
Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
Aberdeen and Perth in Scotland and Mold in Flintshire, Wales, will also hold their own protests.
A separate batch of protests organised by Stand Up to Racism will be held in Bristol, Cannock, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wakefield, Horley and Long Eaton in Derbyshire.
In Bristol, mounted police were brought in to separate rival groups in the Castle Park, with officers scuffling with protesters.
In Horley, around 200 anti-immigration protesters draped in St George and Union flags clashed with roughly 50 Stand Up to Racism protesters in Bonehurst Road.
The anti-racism protesters chanted “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, and held signs calling for solidarity and to “stop deportations”.
Mounted police officers scuffle with demonstrators during a protest by Abolish Asylum System and counter protesters at Castle Park in Bristol on Saturday, August 23
Ben Birchall/PA Wire
They were met with a torrent of abuse from the anti-migration group, one of whom yelled through a megaphone “you’re all scum and you should be ashamed” and “this wasn’t about racism”.
The two groups almost came together in the early afternoon, with lines of police separating them.
The Stand Up to Racism protesters were shepherded into a smaller area as they continued to chant “no hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here”, which were met with “no they’re f****** not” from the other side of the street.
The wave of demonstrations comes after tensions around the use of the hotels for asylum seekers spiked earlier this week.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted Epping Forest District Council the temporary injunction to remove asylum seekers from the Bell Hotel from September 12.
People take part in the Stand Up To Racism rally near the TLK Apartments and Hotel in Orpington
Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
Regular protests had been held outside the hotel in recent weeks after an asylum seeker was charged with trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl, which he denies.
The Government then announced plans on Friday to appeal against the High Court’s refusal to allow it to intervene in the case, and to then further appeal against the temporary injunction.
A group of other local councils also publicly announced their intentions to seek legal advice as to whether they could achieve a similar injunction for their hotels.
