No arrests made at protest outside asylum hotel

As previously reported, the protest, organised by Stand Up Basingstoke, was held on Saturday, September 20, outside the IHG-owned Crowne Plaza hotel, in Old Common Road, Black Dam, which has been closed to the public since 2021, when it began hosting asylum seekers and installed 24/7 security.

Asylum seekers are people fleeing persecution who are applying for protection in another country, a process recognised as a fundamental human right under international law.

More than 50 people were in attendance at the protest, including children, elderly residents and residents of international heritage.

Police have since confirmed that no arrests were reported at the protest, which lasted until 5pm.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "The protest passed peacefully with no arrests."

Statistics from the Home Office show there were more than 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels across the UK in the first part of this year and another 66,000 were in "dispersal" accommodation, which includes HMOs.

There has been pressure on the government to expedite its plans to close asylum hotels, such as the Crowne Plaza; however, this has prompted concerns that this pressure will spill over into communities, as they will use rental homes instead.

One plan currently being considered by the government is to expand the use of military sites. Two former military sites - MDP Wethersfield, a former RAF base in Essex, and Napier Barracks, a former military base in Kent - are already being used to house asylum seekers; however, the news that more may be converted, such as the historic Fort Blockhouse in Gosport, has also attracted opposition.