The Guardian reports:
Disturbances have broken out in Knowsley near Liverpool after several hundred far-right demonstrators protested against asylum seekers who have been housed in a local hotel by the Home Office.
Merseyside police said three people had been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. Witnesses at the Suites hotel said missiles were thrown and far-right supporters set a police van and its equipment on fire.
Knowsley’s Labour MP Sir George Howarth said the demonstration was triggered by an “alleged incident posted on social media” and criticised misinformation about refugees being “feather-bedded” at the hotel.
The BBC reports:
Clare Mosley, founder of refugee charity Care4Calais, told the BBC she had been part of a counter-protest in solidarity with migrants. She said she was “deeply shocked and shaken” to see “hundreds” of protesters, who she described as “far-right”, angry at migrants in the hotel.
The protesters had broken through police lines to surround the hotel at around 20:15 GMT, Ms Mosley added, describing the scene as “like a war zone”. She said: “The far-right people were very organised and very violent.
“All you could hear was fighting in every direction. Fireworks going off, banging, locks flying, smashing glass, and you could hear people shouting. The police van went right up in flames and exploded, then [the protesters] broke through again and started fighting with the police.”
We are deeply distressed that a far right protest in Knowsley has led to riots. We can’t imagine the terror of the people inside the hotel. Far right protestors have set fire to a police van pic.twitter.com/Cam1ABjCeM
— Care4Calais (@Care4Calais) February 10, 2023
If you don’t want refugees living in hotels, tell our govt to process their claims so they can work. If you love our country treat those less fortunate with dignity and respect. It’s not hard.
— Care4Calais (@Care4Calais) February 11, 2023
Police outside the Knowsley hotel where the far right demonstration became violet tonight. We are still trapped in the hotel car park. pic.twitter.com/tvtZzoS5be
— Care4Calais (@Care4Calais) February 10, 2023
The far right have split into three groups and surrounded us at the hotel.
The police don’t have the capacity to cover all three groups.
# pic.twitter.com/s3S4TxU7UD— Care4Calais (@Care4Calais) February 10, 2023
Merseyside Pensioners, Trade Unionists, Anti-fascist and faith groups gather outside the Suites Hotel in Knowsley as a show of support and solidarity for the #Refugees temporarily housed there. The peaceful gathering was in response to threats from far right and fascist groups. pic.twitter.com/n0psxvjekq
— Merseyside Pensioners Association (@MerseyPensioner) February 11, 2023
A hotel that temporarily houses people seeking asylum has been surrounded in Knowsley.
This is how pogroms happen.pic.twitter.com/qHdKHgqnGf
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) February 10, 2023