Masked thugs storm hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham

Police officers with protesters as trouble flares during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA WirePolice officers with protesters as trouble flares during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Police officers with protesters as trouble flares during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Masked thugs stormed a hotel housing asylum seekers on the outskirts of Rotherham in the latest act of violence as riots sweep the country.

Ugly scenes unfolded at the Holiday Inn Express on Manvers Way, Wath Upon Dearne as hundreds of demonstrators, some clad in balaclavas and draped in St George's flags, gathered in a far right protest.

Footage on social media showed masked yobs hurling pieces of wood and using fire extinguishers on police in riot gear and breaking windows at the hotel, before they managed to get into the building.

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There were photographs of demonstrators setting fire to what later police later clarified was a large bin close to a window of the hotel. This was extinguished later.

Police officers lead a man away during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA WirePolice officers lead a man away during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Police officers lead a man away during an anti-immigration demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Southport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Posting a video of the inside of the hotel on Facebook, Nasar Raoof said police were “totally outnumbered”, asking where were the police resources were which had been promised by the Prime Minister.

He said: "This is sent by one of the refugees inside, security failed them and so did South Yorkshire Police.”

On Sunday evening South Yorkshire Police said at least ten officers had been injured as a result of the violence, with one left unconscious following a head injury, another suffering a suspected fractured elbow and another suffering suspected broken bones.

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No hotel employees or residents have been reported as injured.

Officers had regained access to the hotel and were continuing to disperse the group away from the area, the force said.

A generator was also set alight, and a number of small grass fires were set. These had been extinguished by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield said: “Today in Rotherham we have seen our officers attacked and at least ten injured, significant damage caused and a fire set outside a hotel full of terrified residents and staff.

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"The mindless actions of those today have achieved nothing other than sheer destruction and leaving members of the public and the wider community in fear.

“The behaviour we witnessed has been nothing short of disgusting. 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.”

South Yorkshire's Mayor Oliver Coppard said: "I am utterly appalled by the violence we’re seeing in Rotherham today.

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"What we’re seeing is not protest, it is brutal thuggery directed against some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

"The people carrying out these attacks do not represent the beautiful, brilliant place and people I know. We will come after those carrying out this violence with the full force of the law."

Tommy Robinson, co-founder of the English Defence League, posted videos of Sammy Woodhouse at the Holiday Inn, as a "reporter" for "independent media platform" Urban Scoop, which is reportedly controlled by a close associate of Robinson, and which collects donations in his name.

Woodhouse, a high-profile victims of the Rotherham child grooming gang scandal, was shown approaching anti-fascist demonstrators, who earlier on had been standing outside the hotel, demanding to know why they were defending the hotel.

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Dozens of arrests have been made following scenes of disorder in England and Northern Ireland, with police warning further violence is likely in the coming days.

Demonstrations organised by the far-right descended into violence and looting in more than half a dozen cities including Hull on Saturday, where 10 police officers were attacked and injured, shops looted.

The riots started after false information spread online blaming a Muslim asylumseeker for murdering three children in Southport last Monday.

Policing minister and Hull MP Diana Johnson said looters in Hull had "nothing to do with general protesters or people having differing opinions about immigration levels - that's criminal behaviour that needs to be dealt with."

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She said those who'd taken part in the disorder should expect a knock at their door, with courts potentially sitting overnight to deal with the "thugs". There was no need she said to call in the Army with the police making it "very clear that they have all the resources they need at the moment… they have the powers that they need."

Despite the Government recently announcing the early release of some offenders to ease prison overcrowding, Dame Diana said there is jail capacity to hand custodial sentences to those “marauding our streets”.

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