A far-right-led mob of masked rioters tried to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers as further violence flared across the country at anti-immigration protests.
About 700 people gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, before clashing with police. Some rioters hurled pieces of wood, bottles and chairs, and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers.
South Yorkshire police said at least 10 officers had been injured, including one who was left unconscious with a head injury.
Footage from the scene showed a bin on fire and protesters, some draped in St George and union flags, chanting: “Get them out.” The demonstrators appeared at one point to storm into the hotel, with reports of a fire inside, and people peering out of windows.
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemned the rioters: “The criminal, violent attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham is utterly appalling,” she said. “Deliberately setting fire to a building with people known to be inside.
“South Yorkshire police have full government support for the strongest action against those responsible.”
Rioters clash with police outside of the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, which is being used to house asylum seekers.
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Protests at the Holiday Inn Express began at midday, immediately turning into a riot when a mob of far-right individuals, mostly men, smashed windows and set a stairwell in the building alight, temporarily overwhelming police.
Shabnam Shabir, who came as part of a group of counter-protesters, said she had been left traumatised after her group was surrounded and kettled by the mob, who chanted racist words and called her the p-word.
“It was a lot of angry, angry, angry far right,” she said. “This is very scary.”
She was left stranded in her car outside the hotel, unable to leave until the rioters did. “And we have people inside of the hotel who are scared for their lives so it’s terrifying.”
Police closed roads around the hotel, which is on a major roundabout and connected by roads on three sides. By 5pm, they had made space around the building and pushed the rioters back with their shields.
A number of officers were injured, and one was taken to hospital with a head injury caused by a brick thrown by a member of the far right. One experienced South Yorkshire police officer said it was by far the worst riot he had attended.
A female rioter was crying as she was taken to safety behind the police line with a bleeding wound on the back of her head. Some parents had brought their children, who could be seen throwing stones at the riot police.
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No other witnesses the Guardian spoke to had seen this.
“We’ve just come because we want our country back. This hotel was supposed to be for women and children but it’s full of men and there are loads of reports of them attacking women and stuff.”
Protesters occasionally broke into chants of “Tommy Robinson”, “Yorkshire” and “we want our country back”. Fireworks were aimed in the vicinity of mounted police. Two police helicopters circled ahead. Officers said they were expecting a long night.
Just after 6pm, South Yorkshire police said no hotel employees or guests had been hurt and that officers had regained access to the hotel and were “continuing to disperse” the rioters. One arrest has been made so far.
Assistant chief constable Lindsey Butterfield said the behaviour seen had been “nothing short of disgusting”.
She said: “While it was a smaller number of those in attendance who chose to commit violence and destruction, those who simply stood on and watched remain absolutely complicit in this.
“Those who choose to spread misinformation and hate online also need to take responsibility for the scenes today. This was not a protest, just angry people reacting to a false narrative who have their own motivations for doing so.
“All today has achieved is the diversion of police and partner resources, operational police officers who will now be away from active duty while they recover from their injuries, and the continued use of public money to clean up the mess they have left behind.”
The Guardian