Overview
- Dozens of demonstrations under the Abolish Asylum System banner rolled out across England, Scotland and Wales, with counter-protests by Stand Up To Racism at multiple sites.
- Mounted units, cordons and a dispersal zone in Bristol were used to separate rival groups, with scuffles reported in Bristol and Horley and large deployments across other towns and cities.
- The Epping ruling requires about 140 men to leave the Bell Hotel by the deadline, and ministers have moved to seek permission to challenge both their exclusion from the case and the injunction itself.
- Several councils said they are taking or considering legal advice on similar action against hotel placements, intensifying uncertainty over where people will be rehoused.
- Home Office data show roughly 32,000 asylum seekers are in hotels, while charities report residents feeling intimidated by protests and dehumanising rhetoric.