MANCHESTER: Further clashes erupted at anti-immigration protests across the UK on Saturday, leading to multiple arrests as tensions between far-right demonstrators and anti-racism groups intensified.
In Manchester, a march organised by the far-right group “Britain First” was met with opposition from counter-protesters, resulting in brief scuffles before police intervened.
“Send them back, don’t let them in—just stop them coming in, we’ve got hotels full of immigrants and we’ve got our own homeless people in the streets begging for food but nowhere to live,“ said protester Brendan O’Reilly, 66. Counter-protester Judy, a retired nurse, countered, “I don’t want to see people full of hate on the streets of Manchester. Do they want them all to go back or is it just people with brown skin?”
In London, similar confrontations occurred outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in the Barbican area. The Metropolitan Police reported nine arrests, including seven for breaching Public Order Act conditions. Recent weeks have seen repeated clashes, particularly in Epping, northeast London, highlighting growing divisions over immigration policies. – AFP