Anti-migrant influencers hijack asylum hotel debate

Holly Bancroft speaks to Altrincham locals about the reaction to a hotel housing asylum seekers and attracting the far right

- Holly Bancroft

"Welcome back to Altrincham," the video begins, as the woman holding the phone scans the courtyard in front of the Cresta Court Hotel near Manchester.

It’s a market town, in an affluent area with Premier League footballers living nearby. The hotel itself has hosted hen parties and businesspeople. Of late, it’s attracted a different kind to its doors: anti-migrant activists, who are coming to the Cresta Court because of the asylum seekers now housed inside.

“It’s a persistent thing,” said local anti-racism campaigner Mark Krantz, referring to people turning up to video the hotel. “The lead security staff member told me it was almost every day that they have hostile individuals coming down.”

The hotel, which opened for asylum seekers at the end of October last year, has been the subject of intense debate in the local area, as well as a petition against its use brought by Conservative councillors. While small peaceful protests and counterprotests outside of the hotel have become a regular occurrence, so too have visits from far-right and anti-migrant groups.

Britain First has made a number of visits since the hotel opened, with co-leader Ashlea Simon filming a confrontation with security staff. Party activists also canvassed the local area with flyers against the people seeking asylum living there.

Marcus North, a researcher at the advocacy group Hope not Hate, explained that anti-immigrant activists have been turningup outside asylum seeker accommodation to film for years.

But the crackdown following the summer riots – which sprang from misinformation spread after teenager Axel Rudakabana’s murder of three girls at a Taylor Swift dance class in July – put a pause on “migrant hunting” activity.