Anti-racism demonstrators have turned out in large numbers outside a London hotel where asylum seekers are being housed to counter-protest against those opposed to it being used as Home Office accommodation.
Both groups of protesters gathered near the Thistle City Barbican hotel in Islington, north London.
The Metropolitan police said the anti-hotel protest was organised by a number of people under the banner “Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no”, but it has since been endorsed by groups from outside the area.
Online groups that have voiced support for the protest include Patriots of Britain and Together for the Children.
One speaker at the anti-hotel protest, which had a turnout of about 100 people, claimed counter-protesters had been paid by “the Labour government and the trade unions” to attend.
Some of those who had gathered across the road from the hotel wore Mega (Make England great again) hats and one man was heard chanting “Get these scum off our streets” towards the hotel.
Directly outside the hotel, hundreds of people attended a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism and supported by the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is the MP for Islington North, located on the other side of the borough. They far outnumbered the anti-hotel protesters.
Some people in the hotel could be seen watching the demonstration from their windows. Sarah Bailey, 63, who is retired, held a sign that said: “To everyone in the hotel, you are valued, wanted [and] welcome.
She said: “I know somebody that has connections with this hotel. I thought it was so important, because I realised they would be looking out of the windows, that we send a positive sign saying you are all these three things.
“I think it’s so important to show people that have come here seeking safety and protection that they are welcome and to stand up to those who scare and bully them.”
Pat Prendergast, 21, said: “I want people to feel safe. I think the [anti-hotel protesters] over there are making people feel unsafe. I want to stand up in solidarity and say that, you know, we want people here.”
A separate group of masked protesters, dressed in black and chanting “we are anti-fascist”, appeared from a sidestreet and marched towards the anti-hotel demonstration.
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The Met said plans were in place to “respond to any protest activity in the vicinity of other hotels in London being used to accommodate asylum seekers”.
A protest and counter-protest were also due in Newcastle outside the New Bridge hotel on Saturday. Online posts were advertising a “For our children, for our future” protest outside the hotel.
A “stop the far right and fascists in Newcastle” counter-protest was organised by Stand Up to Racism at the nearby Laing art gallery.
On Friday evening, about 100 people attended a protest outside the Stanwell hotel in Spelthorne. Surrey police said a packet of lit firelighters was thrown at officers at the demonstration. The force added that a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson and inquiries were continuing to trace another suspect.
