‘High risk of more premeditated extremist attacks’ after violence outside asylum seeker hotel, charities warn
Political leaders should “take a clear stand” and condemn violence against asylum seekers, charities have said – as they warned scenes like those outside a Merseyside hotel could be replicated across the country.
Fifteen people were arrested after “violent scenes” outside the hotel where asylum seekers were staying in Knowsley on Friday.
A demonstration descended into chaos as a police van was set on fire and missiles, including fireworks, were thrown at officers.
Several charitable organisations have now signed an open letter criticising “inflammatory language” and policies that “demonise” people seeking refuge.
The letter, co-ordinated by coalition campaign Together With Refugees, also warns of a “high risk of more premeditated extremist attacks around the country” following the violence outside the Suites Hotel.
The letter has more than 100 signatories, including Liverpool City of Sanctuary, Care4Calais, Share Knowsley and the Refugee Council.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has faced repeated criticism for her rhetoric describing migrants crossing the English Channel.
Ms Braverman was criticised in November after she told MPs that the south coast was facing an “invasion” of migrants.
The charities write in the letter that people in the asylum system “have already suffered terribly”, fleeing war and persecution in places including Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria and Iran.
They describe Britain’s asylum system as “broken”, and say people seeking refuge are forced into a period of “limbo” as they wait for a decision on their claim to stay in the UK. Asylum seekers are put up in hotels, which the charities call a “completely inappropriate form of accommodation”.
The signatories of the letter call on political leaders to “create a system that is fair and compassionate and brings cohesion instead of division”.
Police attended a demonstration outside the Suites Hotel in riot gear
“Having already experienced great hardship, these men, women and children who come here for protection are now faced with violence, fuelled by inflammatory language of ‘invasion’ and policies that demonise them,” the charities say.
“The responsibility to create a system that is fair and compassionate, and brings cohesion instead of division, lies with our decision makers.
“With the high risk of more premeditated extremist attacks around the country, leaders of all parties must now take a clear stand and condemn any further violence against those who come here to find safety, and set out the action they will take to prevent it.”
Read more:
Disused cruise ships could house asylum seekers
Sunak plans to ban Channel migrants from appealing deportation
The charities add that those responsible for inciting anger and violence like that seen in Knowsley last Friday “bring shame on this country” and are in the minority.
“This does not reflect the people of Britain. This is not who we are,” they say.
A police van was set alight during the disorder
Ewan Roberts, centre manager of Asylum Link Merseyside, said the area has a “proud history of welcoming refugees and the horrifying incident on Friday night does not represent the people of Knowsley”.
“The people staying in temporary accommodation came to us seeking our help, and instead had the experience of being under siege by a violent mob,” he said.
“We urge politicians to stop using rhetoric that fuels such hatred, condemn this violence and start doing the real work of clearing the backlog instead.”
Former refugee Sabir Zazai, who is now chairman of Together With Refugees – a coalition of more than 500 national and local organisations – said the issue is not about party politics but rather “basic human decency”.
“The very least all political leaders could do is to condemn the attack on people seeking sanctuary in our communities,” Mr Zazai said.
“Leaders of all political parties must call for the ending of these hostile policies and hateful language that only fuels division and anger.”
A man appeared in court on Monday charged with violent disorder and assault by beating of an emergency services worker following the violence outside the Suites Hotel.
Jared Skeete, 19, of Aigburth, Liverpool, was remanded in custody to appear before Liverpool Crown Court on 13 March.
The remaining 12 men and two women who were arrested were released on conditional bail.
The fast-moving developments on Trump’s Ukraine peace deal are dominating the G20 summit in South Africa, as European leaders scramble to put together a counter-proposal to the US-Russia 28-point plan and reinsert Ukraine into these discussions.
European countries are now working up proposals to put to President Trump ahead of his deadline of Thursday to agree a deal.
Ukraine is in a tight spot. It cannot reject Washington outright – it relies on US military support to continue this war – but neither can it accept the terms of a deal that is acutely favourable to Russia, requiring Ukraine to give up territory not even occupied by Moscow and reducing its army.
Overnight, the UK government has reiterated its position that any deal must deliver a “just and lasting peace”.
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv to discuss ending war in talks in Switzerland
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Keir Starmer calls for growth plan at G20
The prime minister, who spoke with E3 allies President Macron of France, Chancellor Merz of Germany and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on the phone on Friday, is having more conversations today with key partners as they work out how to handle Trump and improve this deal for Ukraine.
One diplomatic source told me allies are being very careful not to criticise Trump or his approach for fear of exacerbating an already delicate situation.
Instead, the prime minister is directing his attacks at Russia.
Read more:
Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan in full
Analysis: We could all pay if Europe doesn’t guarantee Ukraine’s security
Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a plenary session on the first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Pic: Reuters
“There is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and one country that is deploying a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy livelihoods and murder innocent civilians,” he said on Friday evening.
“Time and again, Russia pretends to be serious about peace, but its actions never live up to its words.”
Pic: AP
On the Trump plan, the prime minister said allies are meetin on Saturday “to discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of Trump’s push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations”.
Strengthening the plan really means that they want to rebalance it towards Ukraine’s position and make it tougher on Russia.
“Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage. That is why we must all work together with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all,” said the prime minister.
“We will continue to coordinate closely with Washington and Kyiv to achieve that. However, we cannot simply wait for peace.
“We must strain every sinew to secure it. We must cut off Putin’s finance flows by ending our reliance on Russian gas. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Pic: AP
Europeans hadn’t even seen this deal earlier in the week, in a sign that the US is cutting other allies out of negotiations – for now at least.
Starmer and other European leaders want to get to a position where Ukraine and Europe are at least at the table.
There is some discussion about whether European leaders such as Macron and Meloni might travel to Washington to speak to Trump early next week in order to persuade him of the European and Ukrainian perspective, as leaders did last August following the US-Russian summit in Alaska.
But Sky News understands there are no discussions about the PM travelling to Washington next week ahead of the budget.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024