Britain's angry day of clashes over migrants

PROTESTS erupted across Britain yesterday as rival groups clashed over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers.

- By Marco Giannangeli

Those opposed to migrant hotels were met with large anti-racist contingents, many organised by Stand Up To Racism, in London, Manchester, and Newcastle.

In between the two was a large number of police officers whose task it was to keep them apart and stop any violence.

The protests came as figures show more than 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year.

The Home Office uses more than 380 hotels for asylum accommodation, costing taxpayers around £8million a day.

In Islington, north London, supporters of a local protest group “Thistle Barbican needs to go — locals say no” gathered outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel, where asylum seekers are housed.

A smaller group waved Union Flags and chanted slogans, including “Get these scum off our streets”.