Clashing demonstrations over opposing anti-racism and anti-immigrant views erupt in London streets
Protests Against Immigration Erupt in London
Recent weeks have seen a series of protests against immigrants in the town of Epping, on the outskirts of London, and most notably outside the Barbican Thistle Hotel in central London. The hotel is currently housing asylum seekers who have arrived in Britain.
The protests, which occurred in early August 2025, were primarily organized by anti-migrant groups demanding restrictions on immigration and a call for “remigration.” These demonstrations sparked tensions and clashes with counter-protesters supporting asylum seekers and opposing racism.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Thistle City Barbican Hotel, chanting slogans like "Britain is full." Counter-protesters, on the other hand, were shouting "refugees are welcome here." The protests involved young people, with far-right groups being present and in some cases organizing the protests.
Police intervened to restore order during these confrontations, arresting nine individuals. The background to these protests includes growing public frustration over immigration policies and the UK housing of asylum seekers in hotels, which some local protesters argue comes at the expense of native homeless populations.
Demonstrators voiced concerns about limited housing and resources, exemplified by slogans like “Send them back” and calls to halt further immigration. The anti-migrant protests were organized partly by far-right groups, such as "Britain First," while counter-demonstrations were composed of anti-racism activists who affirm the rights of asylum seekers and condemn hate speech.
The events have sparked wider debate over the UK’s immigration policy and social cohesion amid ongoing pressures of asylum seeker accommodation. The protesters, however, no new information about their concerns regarding security risks was provided. Similarly, no new information about the asylum seeker charged with sexual assault, the migrants who recently arrived in Britain, or the situation inside the hotel was provided.
In summary, the protests reflect broader tensions in the UK surrounding immigration, asylum policy, and resource allocation, highlighting polarized public opinion and the challenge of balancing enforcement with humanitarian concerns.
[1] BBC News, "London protests against immigrants erupt outside Barbican Thistle Hotel," 2 August 2025, www.bbc.co.uk/news
[2] The Guardian, "Anti-migrant protests in London: what we know so far," 3 August 2025, www.theguardian.com/uk-news
[3] Sky News, "London protests against immigrants: live updates," 4 August 2025, www.skynews.com/uk-news
[4] ITV News, "London protests against immigrants: what we know," 5 August 2025, www.itv.com/news
[5] The Independent, "London protests against immigrants: the key issues," 6 August 2025, www.independent.co.uk/news
Activists involved in the protests against immigrants in London are also vocal on political issues that revolve around immigration restrictions, echoing broader conversations in the realm of general-news discussions. Despite police intervention and arrests, the issue of asylum seekers' accommodation in hotels and its impact on local resources remains a major point of contention, often intertwined with discussions on crime-and-justice matters, such as the alleged sexual assault by an asylum seeker.
