About 100 protesters gathered outside a hotel on the outskirts of Norwich as protests continued over the housing of asylum seekers – although this time on a Saturday.
For the past few weeks demonstrators have marched to the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe from the Norkie pub on a Sunday.
Flags and signs outside the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
But this week’s protest was switched to Saturday (October 11) after organisers rescheduled the demonstration after participants were asked for their opinions.
About 100 protesters gathered to make their opposition known to the government’s decision to use the site to house asylum seekers.
Protesters attending the demonstration(Image: Peter Walsh)
They listened to a recorded message from one of the organisers, Glen Saffer, who was not present, but thanked people from attending and telling attendees migrants at the Brook Hotel were still “coming out and committing crime”.
A vocal gaggle of demonstrators – many draped in Union Jack flags and St George’s crosses – had arrived shortly before 3pm to the musical backdrop of “Rule Britannia” and chanting the name of British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Protesters arriving(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
The group, who were escorted by police vans, arrived to an array of Union Jack flags and signs put up near the hotel, some of which included: “Protect our children”, “Make our streets safe again”, “Enough is enough. Stop the boats” and “Immediately close all hotels housing illegal migrants”.
Some of the signs at the protest(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
While another one read: “Shut this illegal immigrant hotel down. Safety of women and children first”.
A number of police officers were in attendance at the hotel while it is also understood a police drone was operation at the protest, which this week did not include any counter-protesters.
Police were in attendance at the protest(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
A speech from former prime minister Winston Churchill was also played to those present, including Christopher Lovett, 73, from West Earlham.
Mr Lovett was one of the first protesters to arrive opposite the hotel site on a mobility scooter draped in the flag of St George and a union-style flag, with words “Let’s go Reform”.
Christopher Lovett attending the protest(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
The former welder, who suffers from Long Covid, said he had been “every week” to the protests.
“I’m here because I don’t want these freeloaders,” he said.
He said people living in this country “can’t get everything they are getting”.
He said he was “backing the protests against them”.
A masked protester in Bowthorpe(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
Mr Lovett, who played patriotic songs from a loud speaker attached to his mobility scooter, including Three Lions, wondered why it was the Royal Navy could not intervene to turn boats containing illegal immigrants back.
He also belted out another song he had written, called Send them Home, which a friend had helped him mix.
It featured lyrics, including “Rubber boats send them home to their country where they should have gone long ago.”
The song also called for the government to “fix our broken system”.
Some motorists honked their horns in support of protesters(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
As the protest continued there were chants of ”England till I die” before others were handed the microphone.
One protester giving a speech said “We knew the numbers would be down but this has surprised us.”
Another protester told the crowd he was “angry” Britain had the ”best navy in the world but they can’t stop them coming in” on small boats.
He also said he was “angry raising our flag is deemed as racist”.
Another protester said “this isn’t Britain anymore”.
One protester, who did not want to be named, said he wanted to stop illegal immigration which he said, even prime minister Sir Keir Starmer agreed, was a “vile trade”.
A protester (right) filming reporting of the demonstration(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)
Although there did not appear to be any arrests at the protest, one protester was warned by officers as he stood filming in front of the press.
Earlier some of the group had chanted “You can f**k your newspaper….We want real news, we want real news…”
Meanwhile, two people arrested after a fight broke out at a previous protest have been bailed by police.
A man in his 30s and a man in his 50s were among around 70 people in attendance at the weekly protest near the Brook hotel in Bowthorpe on Sunday, September 28.
Police were called to Jarrold Way just before 3.10pm after reports a fight had broken out.
A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and affray.
A man in his 50s was arrested two days later on suspicion of assault and affray.
They were both questioned by police and have subsequently been released on bail until December 17 and 19 respectively.