Police crack down on protesters outside asylum hotel in London

The Metropolitan Police operatives have cracked down on protesters outside an asylum hotel in North London, arresting and detaining several demonstrators.

This comes after rival groups gathered at a protest against the use of a hotel to accommodate asylum seekers.

The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions on a protest and counter-protest outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, north London, MyLondon reports.

People believed to be migrants earlier watched the protests from the hotel’s windows, with some waving and blowing kisses as demonstrators chanted and banged drums in the street below.

A man wearing an England football shirt was detained by police after a confrontation with officers. A group of anti-fascist protesters blocked a junction outside the hotel.

Officers then pushed into the crowd to detain several people, dragging them out by their arms and legs. The group was then moved from the road and officers told them they were in breach of the conditions put on the demonstration before forming a circle around the protesters, the London-based news website reports.

At about 3.30pm, police said there had been nine arrests, including seven on suspicion of breaching Public Order Act conditions.

A protest and counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism and supported by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn were also said to be taking place in Newcastle outside The New Bridge Hotel.

The Metropolitan Police said the protest against the use of the Islington hotel was organised by local residents under the banner “Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no”.