Anti-Immigration Protests Spread Across UK as Government Appeals Court Ruling on Asylum Hotel Closures.

High Court Victory in Epping Sparks Nationwide Demonstrations

Up to 30 hotels across Britain are expected to face protests this Bank Holiday weekend as communities attempt to replicate the landmark legal victory that forced the closure of The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex.

The wave of demonstrations follows Tuesday’s High Court ruling that granted a temporary injunction ordering the removal of asylum seekers from The Bell Hotel, after Epping Forest Council argued it was necessary for “the safety of nearby residents” and to reduce the threat of “violent protests.”

The Catalyst: Sexual Assault Charge Triggers Local Action

The Bell Hotel became a flashpoint after an asylum seeker living there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl – charges he denies. The incident galvanized local opposition and ultimately led to the successful court challenge that could now threaten Labour’s entire asylum accommodation system.

Weekend of Protests: 30 Hotels Targeted

Hotels in Cannock, Tamworth, Leicester, Orpington, Cardiff, and Chichester are among those expected to face demonstrations over the three-day Bank Holiday weekend. Anti-racism groups have already organized counter-protests at 15 locations in response.

Portsmouth Tensions Run High

In Portsmouth, where protests have already begun, the divide was clearly visible. One protester tied a large St George’s flag to a hotel balcony reading “Born in England, Live in England, Die in England,” while counter-protesters displayed a banner stating “Refugees Welcome, Celebrate Diversity.”

Mat Silva, 66, a retired car sprayer from Fareham, expressed the frustrations driving the protests: “I am fed up seeing those who come into our country illegally being housed better than our veterans and our OAPs. They get free accommodation, gas, electricity, four meals a day, while our veterans are on the street.”

Portsmouth’s Hidden Crisis Exposed

The protests come as Portsmouth City Council revealed the scale of asylum accommodation in the city had expanded dramatically without their knowledge. Despite telling the Home Office in 2022 that the city lacked capacity for additional asylum seekers, the authority discovered 55 private rental properties were housing at least three asylum seekers each.

The number of private rentals used for asylum accommodation had surged from just 10 at the end of 2019 to 58 by April 2024, data uncovered by Labour MP Amanda Martin revealed.

Government Fights Back: Appeal Launched

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced Friday that the government will appeal the High Court’s decision, arguing that hotel closures must be managed through an “orderly programme” to avoid creating problems elsewhere.

“That is the reason for the Home Office appeal in this case, to ensure that going forward, the closure of all hotels can be done in a properly managed way right across the country,” Cooper stated.

Political Battle Lines Drawn

Opposition Criticism

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned the government’s appeal: “It is completely wrong that the Labour Government is taking legal action to keep open the Bell Hotel. Instead of trying to keep illegal immigrants in expensive hotels, the Conservatives would remove all illegal arrivals.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was more direct in a video posted to social media: “Ask yourself a question. Whose side is this Government on? Is it on your side or is it on the side of young, undocumented males coming into Britain?”

Anti-Racism Groups Warn of “Dangerous Precedent”

Stand Up To Racism has criticized the court ruling, warning it sets a “dangerous precedent” that will “embolden the far-Right to call more protests outside hotels housing refugees.”

Counter-protester Rita from Portsmouth defended her position: “I am sick and tired of being someone who defends rapists and paedophiles, what I defend is human rights. I feel ashamed and I say this as a white British elderly lady who has been spat upon, verbally abused and things thrown at, just for being on this side of the road.”

What’s Next: System Under Threat

The Epping ruling threatens to unravel Labour’s asylum accommodation strategy as councils across the country prepare copycat legal challenges. Local authorities are now emboldened to argue that the presence of asylum seekers poses risks to community safety and order.

Epping Forest District Council’s finance chief Holly Whitbread expressed disappointment at the government’s appeal, stating: “Our community can’t afford to wait another four years” for the promised closure of asylum hotels.

As protests spread and legal battles intensify, the government faces mounting pressure from both directions – communities demanding immediate hotel closures and human rights advocates warning against the dangerous precedent of using public disorder as grounds for removing vulnerable asylum seekers.

The outcome of this weekend’s demonstrations and the pending appeal could determine whether Britain’s asylum accommodation system faces a complete overhaul or whether the government can maintain its current approach in the face of growing local resistance.