Nationwide protests erupt in UK over migrant hotels

Protests against the housing of asylum seekers in hotels are spreading across the United Kingdom, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction over illegal immigration and concerns about community safety.

In the city of Norwich, hundreds of demonstrators waving Union Flags gathered outside the Brook Hotel demanding its closure. Similar protests took place in Leeds, Southampton, and Nottinghamshire, with additional demonstrations planned for Sunday in Epping, Wolverhampton, and Altrincham, Caliber.Az reports per The Telegraph.

The protest in Nottinghamshire remained largely peaceful, though tensions briefly escalated when a small group of pro-migrant counter-demonstrators, some carrying “Stand Up to Racism” placards and wearing masks, entered the main crowd and were later escorted away by police.

Concerns among locals in Norwich have intensified following the convictions of two asylum seekers for sexual offences. Dan Tesfalul, an Eritrean national, was sentenced to eight years in April for the rape of a woman. In June, Rashid Al-Waeli, from Yemen, was given a 20-month sentence after sending explicit messages to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy, who was in fact a decoy from a paedophile-hunting group.

In Leeds, demonstrators gathered outside the Britannia Hotel, shouting anti-migrant slogans such as “back in your rubber dinghies.” Protests continued there into the night of July 25.

Meanwhile, unrest has also erupted in Epping, Essex, where police have arrested 18 people and charged seven in connection with ongoing demonstrations. Tensions flared earlier this month when an asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. On July 24, Epping Forest District Council passed a motion calling on the government to “immediately and permanently close” the hotel being used to house migrants.

Protests have also taken place this week outside the four-star Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, where the UK Home Office plans to accommodate asylum seekers.

According to the Home Office, approximately 32,000 asylum seekers are currently housed in around 210 hotels across the UK. A record 24,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far in 2025, marking a 50 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

By Sabina Mammadli