A weekend of protests and counter protests ignited on Friday night outside hotels accommodating asylum seekers, with a larger turnout expected today. Organizers anticipate a significant presence as at least 33 demonstrations are scheduled across major towns and cities in England under the banner “Abolish Asylum System.”
The protests are set to unfold in various locations, including Bristol, Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Liverpool, Wakefield, Newcastle, Horley, Canary Wharf, as well as in Aberdeen and Perth, Scotland, and Mold, Wales.
Counter-protests will also take place, spearheaded by the organization Stand Up To Racism, in towns such as Bristol, Cannock, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wakefield, Horley, and Long Eaton in Derbyshire.
The series of protests commenced on Friday near the TLK hotel in Orpington, south London, where dozens of demonstrators chanted slogans like “get them out” and “save our children.” They were met by counter-protesters who carried banners proclaiming, “Refugees welcome, stop the far right.”
The Metropolitan Police established a large cordon to separate the opposing groups and reported that there were no arrests during the initial protests. As the weekend unfolds, tensions between supporters and opponents of asylum seeker housing are expected to continue, impacting communities across the country.
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