Enough is Enough protestors marched through Skegness in opposition to asylum seekers being housed in hotels in the coastal town. Many of the participants who took part held anti-refugee banners and placards, reports Lincolnshire Live.
Tensions in the coastal town have been high since asylum seekers were moved into a number of hotels, with many local residents and councillors saying the issue could affect the town's tourist-based economy in the summer.
Around 200 people are thought to have attended the demonstration on Saturday (February 25). In an update, Lincolnshire Police said the incident had passed with no arrests or reported incidents.
Read more: Asylum seekers protest and counter-protest take place outside Long Eaton Novotel hotel
Superintendent Pat Coates said: “We have a duty to uphold the right to lawful protest, which is a fundamental part of our democracy, and Lincolnshire Police facilitated that right today. We planned for this demonstration through talks with the organisers and drawing on our experience of these events, which enabled us to help it pass without incident.
"Our planning centred around ensuring the safety of protestors, the public and police officers involved, preventing criminal behaviour or disorder and deescalating tensions. During the day our officers engaged with protestors, members of the local community, and visitors to the town while they were on patrol to help ease concerns and diffuse tensions. We’d like to thank everyone for supporting our efforts to make this a safe and lawful incident.”
Steel fencing had been put up outside hotels in the town as a safety measure ahead of the protest. It comes on a day when a protest and counter-protest took place outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Long Eaton. Police were in attendance to monitor the activity outside the Novotel Nottingham-Derby, in Bostocks Lane.
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