Five Arrested After Anti-Asylum Protests Disrupt West London Hotels

In west London, police arrested five people after around 500 anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza hotel, which houses asylum seekers, and a group of masked men attempted to force entry by damaging security fences. Officers, already present in the area, deployed additional resources to contain the situation and enforced cordons to prevent breaches of the peace. The protests also spread to nearby hotels including the Novotel and Holiday Inn, prompting a Section 35 dispersal order that allows police to direct individuals to leave the area to prevent disorder. Two police officers sustained minor injuries during the disturbances. The unrest followed a recent Court of Appeal ruling overturning an injunction that would have evicted asylum seekers from a hotel in Epping, Essex, fueling nationwide protests against the government's migrant hotel policy. Commander Adam Slonecki emphasized that while the police understand strong feelings on the issue, they will take immediate action where protests cross into criminality, including assault and violent disorder.