Manchester councillors have called for new exclusion zones to be set up outside asylum hotels in the city to ensure the safety of residents and staff. Council officers will be asked to urgently investigate the measure following concerns about demonstrations that have involved racist and homophobic abuse.
Motion Calls for Urgent Action
The motion, put forward by the Green Party and amended by Labour, requests that officers urgently explore introducing exclusion zones in the immediate vicinity of asylum hotels. The aim is to stop protests from taking place directly outside hotel buildings, allowing residents and staff to coexist peacefully. The motion states: 'We request that officers urgently investigate introducing exclusion zones in the immediate vicinity of asylum hotels for the safety and peaceful existence of residents, staff, and the wider public.'
Councillors have asked for detailed proposals on how the exclusion zones could work to be ready within the next three months.
Protests and Abuse Highlighted
The motion highlights that protests often last for hours, preventing people from entering or leaving the hotels. It describes 'racist abuse being shouted in the street to both occupants and passers by' and mentions footage showing aggressive shouting, occupying private property, filming through windows, and blocking exits. The motion also calls for an urgent response to the harm caused by harassment and abuse from individuals describing themselves as protesters.
Hotels housing asylum seekers in Greater Manchester have become targets for anti-migrant demonstrations, sometimes facing off with anti-racism groups.
Political Reactions
Green Party Councillor Amna Abdullatif, co-deputy leader of the Green group, said: 'This motion is not simply about condemning the far right, it asks whether Manchester is prepared to defend the rights of Mancunians.'
Labour Councillor Becky Chambers, who proposed the amendment, said: 'These protestors come to our community, often from out of the area, and seek to divide us. This [amendment] shows the Labour council is taking this seriously and saying on behalf of our communities that enough is enough.'
Reform UK councillor Dylan Evans opposed the motion, arguing it makes 'no reference to the increase in violence we have seen from asylum seekers' and that it seeks to 'demonise legitimate criticism and concerns around immigration'.
Labour Councillor Mahdi Mahamed said the exclusion zones were about 'striking a balance' between protest and safety, noting that protests have crossed the line into intimidation and made residents feel unwelcome.
Vote Outcome
The motion was passed by a majority of councillors after a vote. A total of 82 members voted in favour, with seven Reform UK councillors abstaining. The council will also write to the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police and the next Greater Manchester mayor calling for a region-wide response against a rise in organised far-right activity.
