It’s Friday 25 July, and I’ve just wrapped up for the week when a notification pings on my phone: “The far right have called a protest outside Highcross House in Leicester, which is housing refugees… If you know anyone who can get over, please let them know.” Our reporters raced to monitor the situation, and our photographer, Devon, arrived on scene within the hour. There were no more than a dozen right wing protesters, waving Israeli flags and opposing the hotel’s use for housing asylum seekers. It appeared to be a damp squib – nothing quite like the violent rallies in Epping that same week.
A group of anti-migrant protesters outside Highcross House. Photograph: Stand Up to Racism
Then we found out this protest was livestreamed to 57,000 people on YouTube, amplifying the reach across the country. What came next was our investigation into a new dynamic in the anti-migrant movement, termed ‘migrant hunting’ by so-called YouTube ‘auditors’. Auditing – which is nothing to do with financial accounts in this case – is the growing practice of filming and provoking police, security guards, council officers, protesters and more, in public.
The rest of this article contains language which may cause offence.
Chris Boyall: The face behind ‘England Till I Die’
Chris Boyall, pictured. Photograph: Stand Up to Racism
During the week of the demonstration, Chris Boyall, known online as ‘England Till I Die,’ livestreamed multiple times, including four times from outside the Highcross House hotel. On Monday 21 July, he instructed his 7,000 viewers to take action against hotels housing asylum seekers in Blackpool and Leicester. In another livestream, he called for violence against refugees and asylum seekers: “Massive respect as well for the people that go into these hotels… It ain’t going to be long before we have to come out of these fucking doors and fight on these streets.”
Two days later, on Wednesday 23 July, Boyall livestreamed from outside Highcross House again, holding his camera up to the window, and urging his 23,000 viewers to protest outside the hotel the following Friday. Despite his calls to action, only 12 people attended the protest, including another YouTube auditor who racked up 57,000 views during the demonstration.
Paul Dunbar: The self-described ‘citizen journalist’
Paul Dunbar, pictured. Photograph: Stand Up to Racism
Paul Dunbar, who was also at the protest, goes by ‘DP Audits’ online, and gained local attention earlier this year when a video of him being pushed to the ground by a police officer was seen by 180,000 people. Dunbar travels around the country for his YouTube channel, recording protests, police, and arguments on the street.
Dunbar arrived at the Highcross House protest and began livestreaming the demonstration. Here he engaged with police and said, “Contrary to the belief, I actually think the migrant interviews do help the left argument more than anything, cuz it humanises the migrants.” There was a lot of standing around, as Dunbar spoke to fellow YouTubers and asked passing hotel residents, “how long have you stayed here for?”
Dunbar’s social media activity reveals his far right views. In one post on X, he calls for a “British phobia law” to “punish” left wing activists and foreign nationals. His content has also been shared by far right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson. Dunbar responded to Yaxley-Lennon’s post with “Respect for sharing Tommy 💯👊❤️.”
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The incident at a pro-Palestine protest
Boyall and Dunbar outside Barclays Bank on Humberstone Gate during a pro-Palestine demonstration. Video: supplied
On Saturday 26 July, Boyall and others from the Highcross House protest gatecrashed a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Barclays Bank on Humberstone Gate. During the event, Dunbar filmed a woman being arrested by police on suspicion of assault. The video, titled ‘Mother arrested for an opinion by tyrant Leicester Police,’ garnered over 84,000 views. Subsequent videos on the same topic also brought in an audience of over 20,000 each.
Following this, a Leicestershire Police spokesperson said: “Officers received an allegation of assault in Leicester city centre on Saturday afternoon (26 July). It was alleged by a man that a woman had pushed him. To carry out further enquiries and establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, a 31-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assault. An allegation was then made to officers that the man had spat in the woman’s face prior to her arrest.
“Following enquiries carried out at the scene, which included the review of CCTV, the woman was later de-arrested and not taken into police custody.
“No further action is being taken against the parties involved.”
After the protest, Boyall returned to Highcross House and told two asylum seekers outside the hotel to “have some respect, you’re in our country.” He stayed for about 10 minutes before leaving.
Boyall’s connections to the far right
Boyall and Dunbar together at the Highcross House protest on Friday 25 July. Photograph: Devon Winters
Chris Boyall’s YouTube channel has amassed over 20,000 subscribers across 500 videos, and he regularly pulls in thousands of views. Two of his videos are titled ‘Nether trust the lefty with you’re kid’s‘ [sic] and ‘Leicester City Council retarded employee don’t like to be filmed in public‘.
His content frequently focuses on right wing marches and events. He has been seen in London, where he met and took a photo with former English Defence League (EDL) leader Kevin Carroll. It’s believed that Boyall was a member of the now largely defunct EDL, as his Facebook page features photos of him posing in pubs with EDL flags. His social media also displays similar EDL symbols, like the Knights of the Templar and St. George’s Cross. In one video, he can be heard repeatedly chanting Tommy Robinson’s name.
In 2013, Boyall was one of 32 men sentenced to prison for their involvement in a violent EDL rally in Walsall. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison.
His comments also suggest links to people close to Robinson. In another video published prior to the Highcross House protest, Boyall says that “I can confirm that Tommy Robinson will not be attending” the demonstrations in Epping, “that’s the information I’m being given.”
The potential danger posed by migrant hunters
The SUTR counter-protest at Highcross House on Friday 25 July. Photograph: Devon Winters
The run-up to the protest on Friday 25 July brought the actions of Boyall and Dunbar to the attention of the Leicester branch of Stand Up to Racism (SUTR). On Friday evening, the group was involved in organising a counter-protest outside Highcross House. A spokesperson said: “On Saturday, there were nine protests called by the far right up and down the country that we’re aware of, these included Manchester, Islington, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Oxford, Leeds, Holy Lake, Portsmouth, and Bournemouth. Each one of these was a counter demonstration called by SUTR. In some of these, it was 50/50.
“At the moment, what we’re seeing is a crisis of politics. There’s a lot of discontent with the political mainstream, and there’s a lot of fear.
“This fear is being used by the far right forces to whip up racism against asylum seekers; they’re presenting that everything will be alright if asylum seekers are out of the country. Politicians are blatantly lying to people about how much asylum seekers are costing.
“SUTR believes that the UK is fighting for its identity. Is this going to be a country where we are proud of our multiculturalism, or is it going to be one where we let white supremacists call the shots?
“As for those people who say if you ignore these far right forces they will go away, none of these protests were called by Stand Up to Racism, they were all triggered by organised, right wing activists, whipping up fear around asylum seekers. We have to respond to this if we want to keep tolerance and humanity in this country.”
“All our protests will be peaceful. We want to invite everybody who wants to see a fair country and equality in this country, and not allow these far right racists to whip up hysteria.”
Since 2023, Highcross House has been used to house 275 refugees and asylum seekers whilst their applications to stay in the country are assessed. Many people find themselves in temporary migrant housing for various reasons. Hotels are not a perfect solution to a complicated problem, especially since government departments often lack the resources they need. It’s important to remember that many people in these temporary homes have fled dangerous situations in their home countries.
Boyall and Dunbar, and others in the anti-migrant movement in Leicester and across the UK, pose a serious concern to hotel security, staff and temporary residents. Migrant hunters like Boyall and Dunbar may put vulnerable people at risk by posting their faces on YouTube and provoking them.
Boyall did not respond to requests for comment.
Update Friday 8 August 2025:
In response to our investigation, Dunbar said:
“If you want to run Stand Up to Racism’s nonsense at the minute, in this current climate, and take backlash from your “right wing” Leicester readers, then you crack on. But I wouldn’t start calling me and people concerned far right because of listening to actual far left nonsense. But it’s up to you. I feel that article is slander as well.
“The British phobia law was clearly humour as this country seems to think it’s OK to have certain religions trying to be exempt from criticism… still beating the Tommy Robinson drum… I thanked him for sharing a post.
“And as for far right… if you and Stand Up to Racism think I’m far right then I’m sorry, but your point of view is null and void now because what a load of shite.
“Why don’t you ask Stand Up to Racism to answer some serious questions about the disproportionate amount of violence and sex crimes coming from these Afghan and Eritrean etc illegal migrants. They won’t, will they? Because they have silly narratives as well.
“I’ll tell you straight; I have two young daughters and if the crime stats are telling me there is an issue then I no longer give a shit about the left’s ‘oh but we need to help everybody’ bullshit.
“Our children and women’s safety now is top priority… that is not racist… then you get to economic. Of course, migration [is] fine, if you’re already loaded. The working class, ordinary people pick up the bill… and I’m not talking about illegal migration here. I think we have issues massively there… way too high numbers. I mean literally, where is everybody going to live? It’s not rocket science.
“I’m right, not far right. Stand Up to Racism is 100% far left. Bare [sic] that in mind.
“See my migrant interviews on my TikTok. They’ve gained me thousands of Muslim followers and people from these countries. So yes, I think my statement is correct.”