On Saturday, more than a thousand people took to the streets in London after a group of masked men attempted to storm a hotel that housed asylum seekers. As a consequence, police booked five participants. This violent act committed during a period of increased hostility towards the immigrant community drew immediate reaction from law enforcement.
Some 500 demonstrators assembled outside the Cladhan hotel. Second, they thought the hotel was a temporary shelter for asylum seekers who were being taken in while their claims were being processed. Police imposed a section 60AA order, allowing them to disperse the crowd as they deemed necessary for the next 24 hours. They put in place a section 35 dispersal order, allowing officers to order people out of the area if they thought there was a chance of disorder.
Cmdr Adam Slonecki reported, “Around 500 protesters were in the area, but most people have now dispersed from the immediate vicinity. Further arrests will be made if we need to tackle disorder.”
A second demonstration in Falkirk was met by hundreds of anti-protesters. Civil rights activists attempted to protest at one of the area hotels that has been sheltering asylum seekers. Tensions in the yard were high, leading to the two officers sustaining minor injuries during the scuffles. Two more arrests were made after police attempted to clear the gridlocked street.
Glen Pavelin, a police spokesperson, emphasized the importance of the dispersal orders: “We never take the decision to impose restrictions on members of the public lightly. We must guard against the impact of antisocial behaviour on our community and these orders will give us extra powers to deal with that should it become necessary to do so.”
Political responses have emerged in response to these demonstrations. Keir Starmer took to X to assert his stance on immigration policy, stating, “I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back.” As policy, this announcement marks the latest chapter in a tempestuous UK discourse on immigration and the asylum process.
Euan Stainbank, an activist involved in the protests, highlighted systemic issues within the asylum framework: “We must fix the broken asylum system which has not worked for years – for communities such as Falkirk, and for those seeking refuge from persecution.”
As the protests continued, law enforcement deployed to support public safety while allowing the protests to remain peaceful. Download the app Most demonstrators have now dispersed from the site, but authorities are still on alert for any additional unrest. The developments in London and Falkirk highlight the increasing fracture lines within these communities on how best to respond to new arrivals and those seeking asylum.