Protesters have gathered outside a hotel in Greenock housing asylum seekers as police swarm the area following a stabbing in Belfast. The demonstration took place on Wednesday evening outside the Holiday Inn Express, located near the town's waterfront, which has been used to accommodate migrants.
Police Presence at the Scene
A heavy police presence descended upon the scene, just off Main Street in Inverclyde, with officers standing guard outside the hotel alongside several police vans. It is understood that the UK Government began accommodating migrants in the Holiday Inn Express in 2022 while their asylum claims were being processed. It remains unclear whether the hotel is still being used for this purpose.
Images from the scene show dozens of hooded protesters standing in front of a barricade of police officers. Three police vans were also parked outside the hotel as officers monitored the situation.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of ongoing protest activity in the Main Street area of Greenock. Officers are in attendance and the public is advised to avoid the area.”
Context of the Protests
The protest follows similar demonstrations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Ayr, which occurred after a stabbing attack on Monday night in North Belfast. Stephen Ogilvie, a 44-year-old man with links to Scotland, remains in hospital with serious injuries, including the loss of one eye, following the attack on Belfast's Kinnaird Avenue.
Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese national, has appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with attempted murder, threats to kill an NHS radiographer, and possession of a knife. He has been remanded in custody after making no reply to the charges.
On Tuesday, police disclosed that Alodid crossed into Northern Ireland via the Irish border in February 2023, having flown into Dublin from Paris. He lodged an asylum claim and was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028 in September 2023.
Arrests and Injuries
Three men, aged 31, 18, and 18, were arrested and charged in connection with various offences during protests in Glasgow. Two police officers and three members of the public were injured in Glasgow.
First Minister John Swinney described the protests as “ill-advised,” stating: “What I would say to people this evening is that under no circumstances should they take part in protests or in violent disorder within our society. There is, of course, a democratic right to protest in our society but at this particular moment it is ill-advised because of the circumstances that were perpetrated last night by violent thugs, and that type of behaviour has no place in Scottish society and it will be tackled by Police Scotland, and they have my full support in so doing.”
Family's Response
Stephen Ogilvie’s family has urged people to stop sharing “false information on social media” about the attack, adding that they have been left “feeling disgusted” by the recent disorder. In a statement issued by the PSNI on Wednesday night, they said: “We have witnessed a lot of false information circulating on social media which is now forcing us to clarify that our loved one is in fact in a stable condition, and we are solely focused on his recovery at this time.
“We have been left feeling disgusted by the scenes that unfolded yesterday across Northern Ireland in the wake of what happened. We want to make it absolutely clear that to do this in response is not supported by our family, and peaceful protest is only ever the way forward.
“We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including from within our healthcare system and hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work. We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility – do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values.”
