Overview

• Demonstrations under the Abolish Asylum System banner spread to more than 30 sites across England, Scotland and Wales, with counter‑protests organised by Stand Up To Racism.
• In Bristol, mounted officers separated rival groups in Castle Park and police imposed a dispersal zone in the city centre that runs until 7am on Sunday.
• Avon and Somerset Police said a 37‑year‑old woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker during the Bristol operation.
• In Horley, police lines held apart around 200 anti‑immigration protesters and about 50 counter‑demonstrators, while similar face‑offs were reported in Newcastle and other towns.
• The government confirmed plans to challenge the High Court injunction on Epping’s Bell Hotel as more councils seek legal advice, against a backdrop of around 32,000 asylum seekers now housed in hotels and charities warning of psychological harm.