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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Fury erupts over footage of second police force escorting pro-migrant protesters to asylum seeker hotel as Epping unrest sparks nationwide tensions
A second police force has come under fire after a video emerged showing officers escorting pro-migrant activists to a protest outside an asylum seeker hotel. Officers from Hampshire police were filmed walking alongside anti-racism counter-protesters to Potters International Hotel in Aldershot, where migrants are staying. The footage, filmed on May 10, comes as Essex Police this week faced fierce criticism after a similar video showed officers escorting counter-protesters to the Bell Hotel in Epping, last week. The row led to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage calling for Essex Police's chief constable, BJ Harrington, to resign on Wednesday - something the senior officer has firmly rejected. Meanwhile, top police campaigners have warned the violence was a 'signal flare' which could spark similar waves of chaos across the UK this summer. The latest clip of officers 'bussing' counter-protesters saw one activist brandishing a placard supporting the campaign Stand Up to Racism - which is partly funded by trade unions and led by suspended Labour MP, Diane Abbott. The group is already planning to mobilise scores of its supporters to take part in a series of planned counter-protests outside migrant hotels this weekend. But the presence of the left-wing activists has reportedly led to violence erupting at previous rallies, with anti-asylum seeker demonstrators in Epping saying it is what triggered the chaotic scenes of disorder in the Essex town on July 17. Police made 16 arrests and have so far charged five people with violent disorder, with officers accusing a small group of people of acting 'thuggishly' and using the peaceful demonstration to commit 'criminal' acts. Commenting on the footage from Hampshire, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader told the Telegraph: 'It is simply not the police's job to facilitate protest. It is their job to make sure there is peace on the streets. 'If you come to counter protests you're asking for trouble, and it's not the police's job to facilitate that. By doing so, they run the risk of bringing people there who are out to cause trouble. It makes no sense at all.' However, a leading policing campaigner has hit back and slammed those criticising the officers for 'simply doing their job'. Norman Brennan, a veteran former London police officer with three decades of experience, said he supported the anti-migrant demonstrators. However, the retired officer-turned policing campaigner told MailOnline: 'Police have a duty to people. They have a job to do. 'You can't criticise the police for doing something that they're paid to do – that's keeping the peace. You can't have a pop for the police simply doing their job. 'It's like football matches when you have two rival teams, you have duty of care to ensure both are protected. 'The police would have known there are likely to be agitators there. However, as people have a lawful right to protest, police escorted them. It's part of their job. 'Those police officers probably didn't even want to be there but they were tasked to with keeping the peace. And in keeping the peace, police might do something which one side of the demonstration will take a disliking to, accusing them of taking sides.' He added the criticism faced by some officers was unfair and pointed the figure of blame on the 'violent agitators' who turn up at demonstrations not to peacefully protest but to try and deliberately cause mayhem. 'Police don't want conflict. But we have got a very angry nation. We have these belligerent people who are angry and violent and turn up at these protests to cause mayhem. They're the problem, not the police,' Mr Brennan added. The latest video to emerge was filmed when Turning Point UK was demonstrating alongside local activists Rushmoor People First. Some of the pro-migrant protesters were seen wearing masks, glasses and hoodies to cover their faces. Others held banners saying 'refugees welcome'. While the anti-migrant protester carried Union flags and plaques with slogans like 'pensioners before migrants', 'illegals housed here' and 'house Brits on waiting lists'. These activists did not appear to be wearing face masks. Hampshire Constabulary has insisted officers 'engage' with those attending the demonstration to 'ensure they know where they can safely protest'. However, a spokesman for Turning Point UK said it was growing 'increasingly appalled' to see officers escorting 'far-Left agitators' to protests. A spokesman for Hampshire police said: 'Protests outside Potters International Hotel regularly take place on an area of land which backs directly onto a busy A road, running between Aldershot and Farnborough. 'Therefore, there is only one direction for people attending from Aldershot town centre or the nearby housing estate to arrive. 'Officers engage with those attending, and ensure they know where they can safely protest both in advance and on the day. 'Policing protests requires us to balance the rights of those lawfully protesting and the rights of others to go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption, whilst keeping the public safe. 'Protests organised by Rushmoor People First and attended by counter-protesters this year have all concluded with no disorder, thanks to proactive engagement with police by protest organisers and the decisions made by officers on the ground to safely facilitate attending groups.'
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Anti-immigrant demonstrators stare down pro-migrant counter protesters outside asylum hotel
Around 100 anti-immigration protesters faced off with pro-migrant marchers today outside an asylum seekers hotel, which was previously attacked by rioters. Last July, a peaceful demonstration outside Potters International Hotel plummeted into a 'mob type' protest as a 200-strong mob targeted the site housing asylum seekers. Rioters attempted to force open the gates and windows to gain access to the venue as part of rioting which spread across England following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport. It came after tripe-murderer Axel Rudakuban a targeted a Taylor Swift themed dance class on July 29, where he murdered six-year-old Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancome, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. Last year's violence was believed to have been fuelled by disinformation and misinformation spread online following the horrifying attack. Today droves of demonstrators, waving English, British and Isreali flags, propped up a blow-up dinghy on the hotel's wall, coupled with the words 'no boats' on its side, as they held a march against immigration. Anti-immigration marchers chanted 'send them back', whilst holding up placards which read: 'pensioners before migrants', 'our way of life is under threat' and 'illegals homed here' with an arrow pointing towards the hotel. UKIP leader Nick Tenconi was also in attendance, alongside representatives of right-wing organisation Turning Point. Counter-protesters faced off against the anti-immigration mob, with Stand Up To Racism placards as they shouted opposing slogans such as, 'stop the hate' and 'refugees are welcome here'. A protester, who wished to be identified only as Jez, wearing a 'Make Britain Great Again' hat, spoke of his concerns about the lack of money being pumped into the town. The beauty salon business owner, who has lived in Aldershot for over four decades, said: 'There's just no money being put into the town at all - that's down to governments and councils and things, then you end up with too many people being squashed into the town.' 'The taxpayers are paying for people to live in there, and then they go to work,' he added: 'Nobody seems to do anything about it.' People who claim asylum in the UK are usually not allowed to work whilst their claim is being considered. They are instead provided with accommodation and support to meet their essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute. Blasting his views via a loudspeaker, Jez told the crowd: 'We will rid the streets of these people when we take power.' Grandfather Conrad Jones, 66 said he was protesting for his children and grandchildren. He also disagreed with the idea of asylum seekers receiving aid from the government. 'We have these people coming over, straight into hotels, free electric, free WiFi, they get paid as well,' he said Asylum seekers get £49.18 a week to pay for food, clothing and toiletries, however if they are catered accommodation they are given £8.86 every week. Mr Jones also complained about the presence of counter-protesters, adding: 'We never do it to theirs'. 60-year-old John Fuller said that the protest was 'nothing to do with race or colour', as he also claimed to be 'fight[ing] for [the] futures' of his three children and five grandchildren. One man from East London who wished to remain anonymous said that he travels the country filming migrant hotels, and thought 'why not' come to the protest. 'I would probably say 80 to 90 per cent of us probably agree on the same stuff, because when you think about it, refugees are welcome if they're genuine refugees. He claimed: 'But you've got to understand that these people aren't genuine refugees.' Towards the end of the protest, a Christian preacher seemingly unconnected with either the anti-immigration group or the counter-protesters began preaching with a microphone and a speaker. He was confronted by the counter-protesters, and left once both groups departed.
The Independent
14-03-2025
- The Independent
Two men arrested after anti-Taliban Afghan activist attacked inside Home Office hotel
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an anti-Taliban activist inside a Home Office asylum hotel. Natiq Malikzada, 29, an Afghan national who is a campaigner against Islamic extremism, says he was attacked in the late evening of 13 February in his hotel room by two men. Mr Malikzada came to the UK in September 2023 on a study visa after he won a place on a prestigious Foreign Office scholarship programme. After the end of his course in October 2024, he claimed asylum in the UK and was housed in Potters International Hotel in Aldershot, Hampshire for over two months. Mr Malikzada said that after arriving at the hotel he had argued with pro-Taliban asylum seekers living there about women's rights and a campaign he was supporting to boycott the Afghan cricket team. He said he had been shocked to find that a number of other Afghan asylum seekers living at the hotel openly supported the Taliban. He said he told hotel staff: 'I escaped these people and now I'm housed with them.' Around ten days before the alleged attack, he said he had received a grant of asylum and was starting to apply for jobs. On the evening of 13 February, he had been chatting with a friend in the hotel and when he came back to his own room, he was reportedly set-upon by two men. Police were called at 10:55pm on 13 February to a report of an assault at the hotel, which has previously been a target for anti-migrant violence during the summer riots. In a statement, Hampshire police said: 'It was reported that a man in his 20s had been assaulted and had suffered lacerations to his hand, chest and neck. He was taken to hospital to receive treatment for non-life threatening injuries. 'At this time, it is believed this was an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to the public. 'As part of our enquiries, two men aged 25 and 29, from Aldershot, have been arrested on suspicion of wounding/ inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent. 'They have been bailed to locations out of county with conditions, pending further enquiries.' Mr Malikzada was in hospital for one night and then had to go to adifferent hospital for surgery on his hand. Mr Malikzada is an outspoken critic of the Taliban on social media and had campaigned for England to boycott their cricket match against Afghanistan in February. Chief Inspector Gillian Cox, District Commander for Hart and Rushmoor, said: 'I fully understand the concern that this incident will cause within the local community. 'However, I would like to reassure you that at this time, it is being treated as an isolated incident, with no links to any previous incidents in the town centre or at the hotel and there is no perceived threat to the wider community. 'We will keep you all updated on the latest with our investigation as and when we are able to and would kindly ask people to not speculate while our enquiries continue.'
