Violent clashes erupted in Nuneaton over the weekend as far-right protesters gathered outside a hotel housing asylum seekers. Police were forced to intervene as demonstrators, chanting anti-immigration slogans, confronted counter-protesters. The unrest was part of a series of more than 30 rallies held across the UK under the 'Abolish Asylum System' banner.
In Birmingham, one protester scaled a ladder to hang a flag from a lamppost outside a Holiday Inn, while scuffles broke out in other cities including Bristol and Liverpool. Fifteen people were arrested as police struggled to keep the opposing groups apart. The protests come amid mounting pressure on the government to address the asylum backlog.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has promised a fast-track appeals process to speed up rejected claims and clear the backlog, as part of Labour's pledge to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers. She said the closures would happen in 'a properly managed way'. The government is also seeking to appeal a High Court ruling that barred the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping for migrant accommodation.
Labour MP Jo White described the asylum system as the 'number one priority' for the government, warning that failure could cost them the next election. Former Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett called the issue 'toxic' and said it was slipping out of the government's control. Sunday saw a quieter day of protests compared to the weekend's turbulence.
