Protests against hotels housing asylum seekers are taking place today after clashes between police and protesters at demonstrations across the UK yesterday, August 23. Abolish Asylum protests were planned in Birmingham and Canary Wharf in east London, where the Britannia Hotel has been a flashpoint for actions by anti-immigration and anti-racism campaigners in recent weeks.
Demonstrations under the Abolish Asylum System slogan were held on Saturday in towns and cities across England, including Bristol, Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Liverpool, Wakefield, Newcastle and Horley in Surrey. There were also protests in Aberdeen and Perth in Scotland, as well as Mold in Flintshire, Wales. A separate batch of protests were organised by Stand Up to Racism in Bristol, Cannock, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wakefield, Horley and Long Eaton in Derbyshire.
In Bristol, there were reports of police “pushing and shoving” protesters as anti-migrant and anti-racist groups clashed.
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MP for Perth praises protesters in Scotland
MP for Perth and Kinross-shire Pete Wishart praised Stand Up To Racism’s protesters yesterday.
They held a counterprotest to an Abolish Asylum System demonstration outside the Radisson Hotel in Scotland.
He posted on X with photos of anti-racism protesters, saying: “Well done Perth. We take great pride in being a city of sanctuary and the far right will not stop us doing our bit to assist those fleeing conflict and oppression.”
People take part in a counter protest against an Abolish Asylum System protest outside the Radisson (Image: PA)
More photos from Birmingham
Protesters gathered in Bromwich today. One protester was pictured filming through the door as people demonstrated under the Abolish Asylum System slogan outside the Castle Bromwich Holiday Inn in Birmingham.
A protester filming through the door (Image: PA)
People demonstrating under the Abolish Asylum System slogan (Image: PA)
Small crowds gathered in London
A small crowd of protesters have gathered outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, with signs saying “house homeless Brits first”, and “protect our women and girls”.
A fence surrounds the building, and police are also present.
People demonstrating under the Abolish Asylum System slogan outside the Britannia International Hote (Image: PA)
Nancy Spencer, 47, and her daughter Sadie Bailey, age 10, at an Abolish Asylum System protest outsid (Image: PA)
Yvette Cooper determined to ‘substantially reduce’ number of people in asylum system
Official figures released earlier this month showed a total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
The record level of applications comes as the backlog of people waiting for an initial decision on their claims dropped to 90,812 at the end of June.
There were 32,059 asylum seekers in UK hotels by the end of the same month.
Labour has promised to end the use of the sites by 2029.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said “completely unacceptable” delays in the appeals process left failed asylum seekers in the system for years.
The proposed new system would see independent adjudicators, rather than judges, deal with appeals over asylum decisions.
There are about 51,000 asylum appeals waiting to be heard, taking on average more than a year to reach a decision.
As measures have been put in place to speed up initial decisions, court delays over appeals are now thought to be the biggest cause of pressure in the asylum accommodation system.
The Home Secretary said the overhaul would result in a system which is “swift, fair and independent, with high standards in place”.
She said: “We inherited an asylum system in complete chaos with a soaring backlog of asylum cases and a broken appeals system with thousands of people in the system for years on end.
“That is why we are taking practical steps to fix the foundations and restore control and order to the system.
“We are determined to substantially reduce the number of people in the asylum system as part of our plan to end asylum hotels.
“Already since the election we have reduced the backlog of people waiting for initial decisions by 24% and increased failed asylum returns by 30%.
“But we cannot carry on with these completely unacceptable delays in appeals as a result of the system we have inherited which mean that failed asylum seekers stay in the system for years on end at huge cost to the taxpayer.”
(Image: Getty)
Update from 10 Downing St
Sir Keir Starmer posted on X at a poignant time yesterday, while protests were taking place outside numerous hotels housing asylum seekers.
The statement said: “We are tackling illegal migration. Since July last year, 5,300 foreign national offenders have been returned. This is our Plan for Change in action.”
It came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that the government will appeal the High Court’s decision on the Bell Hotel in Epping, to ensure the “closure of all hotels can be done in a properly managed way”.
Canary Wharf protest draws about 20 so far
About 20 protesters are standing quietly on the other side of the road from the Britanni Hotel with Union flags propped up against a fence.
They ranged in ages from an adult wearing a T-shirt bearing the name of activist Tommy Robinson to a schoolgirl wearing a Union flag dress and bow in her hair. A St George’s flag was draped around her shoulders.
A woman carried a home made banner, reading: “Tower Hamlets council house homeless Brits first”. Another banner read: “Enough is enough protect our women and girls”.
The hotel is in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.
Protesters yet to appear in numbers outside Canary Wharf hotel
A live stream from outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf shows two police cars parked outside the entrance into the hotel and a small group of people across the road.
Numbers appear to be very low at the moment.
An archive image of the hotel earlier this month (Image: PA Wire)
Protesters shout at hotel windows in Birmingham
Some 30-40 people are outside the hotel in Castle Bromwich now, with a few police officers there too.
Protesters have been shouting “paedo” at the windows of the hotel and chanting.
They have also been walking around the hotel grounds. A photo shows a person looking out from one of the windows at the protest outside.
A person looks out from inside the hotel (Image: SWNS)
In pictures: Birmingham protesters outside Holiday Inn
Pictures have just been released showing protesters outside the Holiday Inn in Birmingham.
In one, a protester films through the door as people behind him demonstrate under the Abolish Asylum System slogan outside the Castle Bromwich Holiday Inn.
The second shows protesters, some of whom are draped in England flags, shouting, jeering and gesturing towards the hotel building, which is understood to be housing asylum seekers.
A protester films through the hotel door (Image: PA Images)
Protesters chant and gesture outside the hotel (Image: PA Images)
Protesters continue to gather outside Birmingham hotel
Protesters continue to gather outside the Holiday Inn in Castle Bromwich in Birmingham.
They could be heard shouting, “Illegal scum, get out of Brum”, and chanting “English till I die”.
Protesters outside the Holiday Inn in Castle Bromwich (Image: SWNS)
‘Completely false’ claims about migrant hotels made ahead of Perth protest, council leader says
Grant Laing, the SNP leader of Perth and Kinross council, has told the BBC “completely false” claims of further asylum hotels opening up in the area were made ahead of the protest which took place in the city.
Abolish Asylum System members held a protest outside the Radisson Blu hotel yesterday morning. It was met with a counter-protest organised by Perth Against Racism.
Mr Laing said he had been saddened by the anti-migration protests and said everyone should be treated with “respect and humanity”. He also welcomed a pledge by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper today to speed up the asylum processing system.
He said: “A lot of this in Perth started off two or three weeks ago when there was a claim there was another hotel or two hotels going to be used for housing asylum seekers – completely false. The council speaks to the UK Government weekly about what’s happening.
“There was never any intention or even any application from Mears on behalf of the UK Government, for imminently other people coming to and stay in hotels in Perth. It’s this sort of misinformation that happens.”
The Mears Group is contracted by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
Children take part in the anti-immigration protest in Perth (Image: PA)
Castle Bromwich protesters gather outside hotel
Video shared on TikTok shows protesters have gathered outside a Holiday Inn in Castle Bromwich.
About 20-30 people can be seen outside the hotel, with some waving Union and St George’s flags.
Protesters could be heard chanting, “Keir Starmer’s a w*****” and “Send them home”.
Some of those gathered outside the hotel circled the building. A recording of Rule Britannia was also played by protesters.
Protesters outside the hotel (Image: Memedia/TikTok)
Nigel Farage to tell Lucy Connolly’s story in US Congress visit
Reform UK’s leader has said he will tell Lucy Connolly’s story while giving evidence at a free speech hearing at the US Congress in September, according to The Telegraph.
Mr Farage is set to testify to Congress about threats to freedom of expression in the UK.
Ms Connolly was released from prison last week after she was sentenced to 31-months after pleading guilty to inciting racial hatred.
She had called for people to “set fire” to asylum seeker hotels in a post on social media.
Mr Farage said her story will be a very central point of what he discusses with Congressmen and women.
Protesters gather in Stevenage
Live footage posted on TikTok earlier appears to show protesters beginning to gather in Stevenage town centre.
It shows about a dozen protesters outside the entrance to an Ibis hotel and about four or five police officers near the doorway.
‘We have allowed the Cross of St George to be tarnished – it’s time to fly it with pride’
The Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, Bradley Thomas, has written an opinion piece for the Express in which he defends flying the national flag as a natural expression of patriotism.
It comes after images were shared online showing workers removing red lines painted on a roundabout in the town as part of Operation Raise the Colours, a campaign encouraging people to fly Union and St George’s cross flags.
The campaign has divided opinion, with supporters arguing it is a display of pride in the country and critics saying it is divisive and a front for the far right to espouse anti-immigration views.
A man paints red lines on a mini-roundabout (Image: X)
Keir Starmer makes desperate migration move
Stepping away from the protests expected later, the Government has today pledged to overhaul the asylum appeals process to speed up the removal of people with no right to be in the UK.
Currently, there are about 51,000 asylum appeals waiting to be heard, taking on average over a year to reach a decision.
Official figures released earlier this month showed 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
The backlog of people waiting for an initial decision on their claims dropped to 90,812 at the end of June.
In pictures: Anti-immigration protesters take to the streets
The pictures below are from yesterday’s protests. The first shows a group of people demonstrating at an Abolish Asylum System protest outside the Radisson Hotel in Perth, Scotland.
The second shows a man making a gesture between police officers during an anti-immigration protest outside the Sheraton Four Points hotel, which is believed to be housing asylum seekers, in Horley, south of London.
People demonstrating at an Abolish Asylum System protest outside the Radisson Hotel in Perth (Image: PA Images)
A man gestures between police officers during an anti-immigration protest in Horley (Image: Getty)
Police make series of arrests at protests
Protests by groups opposed to the use of hotels and counter-demonstrations led to a number of arrests yesterday.
In Bristol, mounted police were brought in to separate rival groups in the Castle Park, and officers scuffled with protesters.
A 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Avon and Somerset Police said no officer sustained serious physical injury or has required hospital treatment, but inquiries will be carried out after reports of assaults on them.
In Liverpool there were 11 arrests for offences including being drunk and disorderly, assault and affray, as a UK Independence Party protest was met by a counter-demonstration.
In Horley, Surrey, about 200 anti-immigration protesters draped in St George and Union flags clashed with roughly 50 Stand Up to Racism protesters.
Three people were arrested, two for breach of the peace and one for breaching the conditions of a community protection notice, according to Surrey Police.
Police officers clash with demonstrators during protests in Bristol (Image: PA Images)
Where are protests planned?
Protests taking place under the banner Abolish Asylum System are planned in seven places today. These are: Birmingham, Dudley, Epping, London, Manchester, Norwich and Stevenage.
The Express has contacted campaign group, Stand Up to Racism, for details of any counter protests happening today.
Good morning
Hello and welcome to our live coverage as towns and cities in the UK brace for more protests and counter-protests. We’ll be bringing you details throughout the day.
