Migrant fury explodes in major UK city as protesters clash and police make several arrests
At least 15 arrests have been made this morning across the UK at various anti-migration protests.
A fight broke out at the UKIP Rally (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Nearly a dozen people have been arrested today in Liverpool as UKIP supporters clashed with counter-protesters over asylum seekers being housed in hotels in Merseyside. Police confirmed the 11 arrests included public order offences, assault, being drunk and disorderly, and affray.
UKIP began its march at around 1.20pm, but police had to invoke public order legislation and direct them back to St George’s Hall due to “serious disruption to the community”. Protesters from UKIP had gathered outside St George’s Hall from around 11am on Saturday (August 23) as part of a “mass-deportations tour”, according to its social media. Counter demonstrators from Stand Up to Racism were also in the city centre. Opposing groups were chanting, carrying banners, and waving flags, and there was a heavy police presence to keep them apart.
A line of Police had to stand between the two groups (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Counter protesters at the UKIP Rally (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Merseyside Police confirmed in a statement the majority had protested lawfully, but officers made a difficult decision to use legislation known as Section 12 under the Public Order Act (1986).
Superintendent Karl Baldwin said: “There was a large policing presence in Liverpool city centre today to ensure the safety of those taking part in the protest and counter-protest as well as the wider public.
“We will never tolerate acts of criminality or anti-social behaviour and despite the vast majority of people protesting lawfully, and peacefully, sadly there were a number of people who were arrested for various offences, including public order offences and assault.
“A decision was made shortly after the march got underway to apply conditions under Section 12 of the Public Order Act, which redirected the march back to St George’s Hall.
“This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made because there was evidence of serious disruption to the community, which is one of the limited reasons such conditions can be applied.
“The police are often faced with the challenge of treading the fine line between upholding everyone’s rights to protest equitably, whilst endeavouring to keep the peace and ensure the public are safe.
“We plan ahead, in a co-ordinated way, to ensure we do this consistently, fairly and proportionately. We would like to thank members of the public and businesses in the city centre for their patience during the course of this event.”
Three arrests were also made in Horley, Surrey, during protests outside the Sheraton Four Points hotel this morning. Two were for breach of the peace, and one was for breaching the conditions of a community protection notice.
In Bristol, where police also had to hold back the two opposing groups, one woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Protests have been planned across the UK this weekend to oppose hotels for asylum seekers. Anti-migration and counter-protestors have planned to attend 26 demonstrations outside hotels.
