Protests against taxpayer-funded accommodation for asylum seekers are continuing to spread across the country — with the latest being held over plans for an all-male migrant hotel near London Heathrow Airport.
Furious locals descended onto the Stanwell Hotel in Spelthorne, Surrey after the Home Office recently confirmed that it was changing from a mixed accommodation building to one housing just male migrants.
Dozens of protestors carried signs reading “just say no” and were heard chanting “protect our kids”, as police monitored the demonstration.
The Stanwell Hotel (Google Maps)
It came after another protest took place outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex amid calls by the local council and MP for its closure after an Ethiopian resident was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, who arrived in Britain via small boat on June 29, denies any wrongdoing and remains in custody.
On Thursday, officers from Essex Police facilitated a march at The Bell Hotel towards the village’s High Street, by the same group, and no arrests were made.
Demonstrators outside The Bell Hotel in Epping (PA Wire)
In a letter sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Spelthorne Borough Council leader Joanne Sexton raised concerns regarding changes to the Stanwell Hotel.
She said: “This unexpected reversal has caused shock and significant concern within the local community.”
Ms Sexton added that the families already placed at the hotel had been “integrating well and building community ties”.
Protesters outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf (ES)
However, Ms Sexton warned that “this abrupt change risks undermining all that”, adding that she is “alarmed about the potential consequences of the proposed changes and the impact they will have”.
A Government spokesman said: “We are pleased to inform residents that the Council can now confirm that the Home Office has agreed to speak with the Council on Friday, August 1 to discuss the proposals in greater detail.”
A series of anti-migrant demonstrations have rocked communities across the UK in recent weeks and become flashpoints for tension.
In London, large crowds have congregated outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, Tower Hamlets, which is believed will be used to house migrants.