UK Government Boosts Border Security Amid Nationwide Asylum Hotel Protests

Dame Angela Eagle, the UK Home Office minister responsible for border security, has condemned recent protests against asylum hotels, emphasizing that "anger doesn't get you anywhere" and urging protesters to demonstrate peacefully without targeting the police. She highlighted escalating tensions including violent incidents and arrests at demonstrations, such as those outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, where protesters harassed asylum seekers and staff. Eagle reassured that the Government is actively working to reduce the asylum backlog, having removed 35,000 people without the right to stay, and is committed to closing asylum hotels by the end of the current parliament. Additional funding of £100 million has been allocated to combat people smuggling, including enhanced police powers to seize digital devices from suspected facilitators. She stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting public safety, particularly for vulnerable groups, while balancing the right to protest with preventing violence and criminality. Overall, the Government is pursuing detailed measures to address immigration challenges while responding to public concerns and maintaining law and order.