Migrant hotel protests spread across Britain as tense stand-offs escalate over illegal immigration

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Lewis Henderson

By Lewis Henderson


Published: 27/07/2025

- 12:31

Updated: 27/07/2025

- 12:34

Thousands of demonstrators have been seen up and down the country

Protests against migrant hotels have scattered across the UK this weekend, with demonstrators seen in Bournemouth, Leeds, Norwich and Portsmouth.

Hundreds of protesters chanted "we want our country back" and "Keir Starmer's a w*****," outside a hotel in Bowthorpe, Norwich.


Counter protesters arrived at the venue, with some waving Revolutionary Communist Party flags.

Three masked anti-racism activists tried to force their way past police to the demonstrators, causing some scuffles.

\u200bHundreds of protesters were seen across the UK

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Hundreds of protesters were seen across the UK

The hotel is one of two sites in Norwich used by the Home Office to house migrants and has been the centre point of anger since April, when an asylum seeker staying there was jailed for raping a woman.

Dan Tesfalul from Eritrea, who arrived via small boat, raped the woman as she left a nightclub. He was caught and sentenced to eight years behind bars.

Another asylum seeker, Rashid Al-Waeli, who was also staying at the hotel, has been jailed for 20 months after admitting to three attempted child sex offences and an indecent image offence.

Protesters held placards of the two offenders, including other banners reading, "house Brits, not illegals" and "deport all foreign rapists and child abusers".

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\u200bOne protester held up a sign reading: 'Deport all foreign rapists and child abusers'

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One protester held up a sign reading: 'Deport all foreign rapists and child abusers'

Protesters also gathered outside another hotel in Bournemouth, holding slogans saying "bring back Rwanda", "two-tier Keir, two-tier policing" and "it's not racist, it's a national security risk".

Two migrants arriving with their belongings in bin bags were met with chants of "send them back".

In Leeds, demonstrators shouted "get back in your rubber dinghies" to those inside an asylum seeker hotel.

More than 2,000 people are expected to protest in Epping today outside a hotel in the town - which has been a focal point of the migrant hotel backlash.

\u200bA significant police presence was in the area in Norwich

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A significant police presence was in the area in Norwich

Local resident Sarah White said she anticipates it to be the biggest protest so far.

White said: "Women and families are terrified. People are living in fear when this is their home. They should not feel unsafe."

Protests started in Epping after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a local girl.

Essex Police recently had a dispersal order in the area and said it had a "robust policing operation in place" to deal with any disorder.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said "heads must roll" after footage emerged seemingly showing Essex Police escorting counter-protesters towards a hotel housing asylum seekers.

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