Migrants returned to Peckham hotel after protesters disrupt removal

The Home Office has postponed the transfer of asylum seekers from a London hotel to the Bibby Stockholm barge after protesters slashed a coach’s wheels and disrupted their removal on Thursday.

Immigration officers were forced to abandon attempts to transfer the migrants from the Best Western Hotel in Peckham, south London, after dozens of people wearing Covid face masks surrounded the vehicle, placed electric bikes under its front and rear wheels and punctured its tyres.

More than 100 Metropolitan police officers were deployed to remove the protesters, some being dragged away to be held in vans.

A total of 45 people were arrested after officers were assaulted whilst trying to stop the protesters from obstructing the coach, police said.

The Home Office denounced the “intimidatory and aggressive” behaviour of the protesters. The slashed tyres meant the coach was unable to continue its journey, forcing the migrants to return to the hotel.

Other asylum seekers who were due to be picked up on the way by the coach were taken to the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset, after the Home Office organised alternative transport.

The Home Office is, however, understood to be intent to transfer the migrants to the barge as part of ministers’ pledge to reduce the £6 million a day cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels.

Sharing a video of police moving protesters away from the coach, James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, tweeted: “Housing migrants in hotels costs the British taxpayer millions of pounds every day.

“We will continue to remove those with no right to be here, despite continued efforts by the Labour Party and a coalition of disparate student groups to stop us.

“No amount of chanting, drum banging or tyre-slashing by a noisy few will prevent us doing what is necessary to deliver the firm but fair approach that the British people expect.

“I’d like to thank the police for their swift and professional action. They have my full support in clamping down on unacceptable criminality, racism and intimidation regardless of where it comes from.”

Downing Street urged the protesters to allow immigration officers to get on with their duties.

“[The Prime Minister] would urge people to allow Home Office enforcement officers to carry out their duties,” a spokesman for No 10 said.

The protest comes as Home Office immigration enforcement officers have begun detaining the first migrants earmarked for removal to Rwanda ahead of flights scheduled for nine to 11 weeks’ time.

Not earmarked for Rwanda

None of the asylum seekers being transferred on Thursday face removal to Rwanda and unlike those detained for the flights, will be free to come and go from the Bibby Stockholm.

The barge currently houses more than 300 migrants against a projected total of 430.

The protesters arrived at the hotel by 7am, forming a human chain linking arms around the coach.

Alex Shaw, of The Movement For Justice By Any Means Necessary, said: “We’re not letting it go until we get confirmation that the remaining asylum seekers who are due to go on the bus, their removal has been cancelled.”

Soas Detainee Support, a welfare group, issued a call on X, former Twitter, for more people to help them stop the coach leaving, but added that the protesters were “determined” it would not.

A spokesman for the group wrote: “Comrades have stopped our friends being taken to the Bibby barge – but more numbers needed!”

An anonymous demonstrator from Gma’s Community Kitchen, a group that supports asylum seekers in south London, said: “We are trying to stop police deporting migrants.”

At one point, a band of four with steel drums and trumpets played Bella, an Italian workers’ protest song.

Police were called by 8.40am and started to clear protesters just before 1pm. Many of those being detained resisted arrest.

One made a getaway on a pedal bike after appearing to assault a female officer.

The Metropolitan Police said: “A number of people have been arrested for offences including obstruction of the highway, and one for a racially aggravated public order offence. They have all been taken into custody.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “This behaviour is intimidatory and aggressive. As part of our commitment to significantly reducing the use of hotels, asylum seekers are being moved into alternative accommodation to reduce costs on the taxpayer.

“We have returned 150 hotels to local communities and we work closely with accommodation providers to manage the exit process in a way which limits the impact on local authorities and asylum seekers.”

04:22 PM BST

End of live coverage

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The key developments were:

• Protesters blocked a coach in a bid to stop asylum seekers being taken to the Bibby Stockholm barge

• Police moved in to arrest them as the Home Office accused some of slashing the coach’s tyres

• Home Secretary James Cleverly said protesters “will not… deter us from doing what is right for the British public”

• More than 100 police deployed and the bus managed to drive off, without any migrants aboard

04:05 PM BST

Crowd disperses

After the bus left the scene and the detained demonstrators were taken away, the crowd of activists dispersed.

Vehicles are now able to pass freely along the main road.

The drummers who have provided the soundtrack to the day’s events pack up and walk away.

04:04 PM BST

Officers pressed against wall

Elsewhere, a crowd surged towards a group of officers who are being pressed up against the walls of a nearby GP practice.

The officers shoved the group away but the demonstrators put more pressure on them.

One woman fell to the floor as a stampede ensued. A man tripped and cracked his head on the pavement.

The crowd chanted “let them go” as officers dragged activists away.

The commanding officer called for a cordon to be set up and for police to link arms, blocking demonstrators from moving further down the road.

Police vehicles honked their horns as they drove away, with stragglers who made it through the line attempting to jump in front of the vans.

As the three vans drove away, police ran toward their squad cars and left. The crowd in the nearby area dispersed quickly.

03:43 PM BST

Protesters continue clashing with police

After the bus drove away with no one on board, the protesters formed another road block.

The group, four people deep, spread out across the entire road. A line of around 20 police officers stood opposite them.

The face-off appears to be designed to allow police vehicles carrying detainees to leave the scene.

Marked vans with arrested demonstrators inside are now manoeuvring in the road. The public is being blocked from accessing the section of the road beyond the police line.

03:17 PM BST

Coach leaves - without migrants

More than 100 police officers descended on the scene, pushing, pulling and dragging demonstrators out of the way of the bus.

Police charged at the crowd dispersing dozens of the activists to make way for the vehicle.

Some were picked up by all four limbs and marched from the road. People shouted “shame on you” as they jostled with police.

The coach, which protesters had attempted to prevent leaving, slowly drove away. Officers surrounded the vehicle and escorted it along the road.

There are now hundreds of people outside the Best Western Hotel as part of the demonstration and response.

Groups of police congregate and then charge into the crowd again and again. They are booed as they perform their duties.

There was no one onboard the bus when it drove away.

A helicopter hovers in the sky watching the chaotic scenes unfolding below.

03:00 PM BST

Pictured: More arrests made

02:49 PM BST

Protesters move away from bus

Activists have now moved away from the coach which was expected to transport migrants to the Bibby Stockholm barge.

There are now more than 100 protesters at the scene in Peckham.

A large group of them are now sitting in front of police vehicles, preventing them from moving.

They are passing around rolling tobacco and Haribo to sustain themselves, chanting “no justice, no peace, no racist police”.

A lollipop lady wearing her high visibility coat and carrying her stick shouts “shut up” at the crowd.

Another group of around 50 officers gathered 20 metres from the seated crowd. The police appear to be preparing to move in.

Commenting on the protest, retired baker Cathy Hawkins, 73, said: “I think what they are doing is really bad, there are two schools around. What are the kids going to do when they leave school?”

02:40 PM BST

Pictured: Protesters blocking bus and road

02:27 PM BST

Pictured: Arrests made

Police have arrested several protesters. including one who was dragged across the street by officers holding his arms.

The crowd chanted “let him go”.

02:15 PM BST

Cleverly: ‘Posing students won’t deter our plan’

01:51 PM BST

Arrests made as protesters attempt to block police vans

Protesters are attempting to obstruct police vans leaving the scene after officers made arrests. Dozens have swarmed around police vehicles as they started to drive away.

Many protesters are now sitting cross-legged in the middle of the road. Traffic has come to a complete halt and is being diverted along other routes.

Demonstrators are running up to officers screaming in their faces and then running away.

Many of those being detained are resisting arrest. One made a getaway on a pedal pike after appearing to assault a female officer.

Other officers are dragging protesters away from their colleagues and pushing them to the floor.

One officer addressed the crowd blocking a vehicle and said: “Obstruction of a highway is one thing, but obstruction of police in their duty is a very serious offence and if that continues, we will arrest you”.

There are now around 50 officers present.

Protesters can be seen in the back of police vans following their arrests.

01:28 PM BST

Police jostling with protesters

Around thirty officers have arrived at the scene, jostling with the protesters.

Officers screamed “get back” as the crowd chanted swear words at them.

Moments earlier, a man speaking over a megaphone said: “The Government wants to make it illegal to protect our friends.

“We have reason to believe more cops are on the way. If you are vulnerable to arrest or have insecure immigrations stations you may want to leave.

“There are more of us than they are of them. They don’t have the power to stop us. Our love is powerful, stronger than any law, stronger than any police cordon. Our love protects us.

“This coach isn’t going anywhere. We will be here until they go.”

01:22 PM BST

No 10: Let immigration officers get on with their duties

Downing Street urged the protesters to allow immigration officers to get on with their duties.

”[The Prime Minister] would urge people to allow Home Office enforcement officers to carry out their duties,” a spokesman for No 10 said.

“He obviously fully supports the authorities and the police to do what is necessary to ensure that the operation is able to be carried out successfully.”

He added: “The Prime Minister’s message is that the reason we have introduced this scheme is because we want to provide a deterrent and stop the people smuggling gangs from exploiting people and risking lives as people make these dangerous journeys across the channel - we want to put an end to that, we want to stop the boats and that is what this scheme is designed to do.”

01:14 PM BST

More images from the scene

12:58 PM BST

Home Office denounces ‘aggressive’ protesters

The Home Office has accused protesters who slashed the tyres of a coach to stop it removing migrants from a London hotel of intimidatory and aggressive behaviour.

12:50 PM BST

Police: Protesters could be arrested

Protesters surrounding a bus set to take migrants to the Bibby Stockholm barge could be arrested, the Metropolitan Police have said.

In a statement, Ade Adelekan, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said: “My officers were quickly on the scene and have engaged with the protesters at length.

“They have warned the group that they could be arrested. We will share more information when we can.”

12:47 PM BST

Police move in on protesters

Around 20 police officers have arrived on the scene at south London to move protesters away from the coach.

Officers were seen speaking to activists who had linked arms and formed a human chain around the vehicle.

When approached by police one protester shouted “we can’t hear you” as drums played in the background.

12:45 PM BST

Police statement

12:41 PM BST

Watch: Police warn protesters to move

12:22 PM BST

Protesters: ‘Migrants are not to blame’

A masked protester who chose not to give his name said: “We are here today to protect our friends. The Government’s migrant policy is desperate and probably unlawful.

“The removal of people from this accommodation to an unsanitary environment on the Bibby Stockholm barge is despicable.

“People have come here, to this country, seeking safety. They are not to blame for the destruction of our NHS and public services. But the Government finds it convenient to use them as scapegoats.”

He added: “The Government may try to break international law to put people on flights but the migrants are not to blame.”

When asked about the tyres of the bus being slashed, he said: “I don’t know how the tyres happened, maybe the tyres are comrades and let themselves down.”

As police exited their van protesters three deep surrounded the bus.

A man using a megaphone said: “Everyone surround the bus, the cops wearing high-vis jackets are looking frisky.”

12:15 PM BST

Chants of ‘No borders, no nations, stop deportations’

A band of four with steel drums and trumpets are playing to the tune of Bella Ciao by El Profesor. One of the demonstrators is singing the song with those surrounding him cheering and whooping.

Bella Ciao was originally sung as a protest to poor working conditions in the paddy fields of northern Italy.

The crowd intermittently breaks into choruses of “we shall not be moved”.

A man using a megaphone then shouts “no borders, no nations” and the crowd screams back: “Stop deportations.”

“No detention, no flights”, he continues. “Refugees have human rights”, they respond.

He adds: “Unemployment and inflations are not caused by immigration.”

12:12 PM BST

‘We won’t move until their removal is cancelled’

Alex Shaw, from The Movement For Justice By Any Means Necessary, told LBC: “What we’ve done is we’ve surrounded the vehicle, stopped it from moving, so we’re not letting it go until we get confirmation from the Home Office that the remaining asylum seekers who are due to go on the bus, their removal has been cancelled.

“We’ve got hundreds of people from the local community here, we’ve surrounded the bus and we’re keeping it here until we get confirmation.

“We’ve found out this bus was due to go to a number of hotels to pick up other refugees to put them on the barge, so us delaying this coach helps those people.”

12:00 PM BST

Pictured: Tyres slashed

11:52 AM BST

Home Office statement

11:16 AM BST

Ambulance service arrives

Two London Ambulance Service (LAS) vehicles have arrived at the scene.

Emergency responders said they had been deployed in case the protest erupts into violence and people sustain injuries.

LAS was contacted for comment.

11:00 AM BST

Pictured: Protesters surround bus

10:55 AM BST

‘We shall not be moved’

The demonstrators started chanting “we shall not be moved” as two police officers approached the bus.

One man using a megaphone then started shouting “say it loud, say it clear”, to which the crowd responded “refugees are welcome here”.

The chanting fizzled out in less than one minute.

10:40 AM BST

Highest daily migrant crossing of the year

Some 711 people were detected crossing the English Channel on Wednesday, the highest number on a single day so far this year, according to provisional figures from the Home Office.

The cumulative number of arrivals by small boats in 2024 now stands at a provisional total of 8,278.

This is 34% higher than the total at the equivalent point last year, which was 6,192, and 19% higher than the total at this stage in 2022, which was 6,945.

Some 14 boats were detected on Wednesday, which suggests an average of around 51 people per boat.

There were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

10:25 AM BST

‘We’re going to block the method of transporting them’

Around 50 metres from the hotel dozens of protesters wearing Covid face masks are gathered around a large coach, writes Alex Barton at the scene.

An anonymous demonstrator from Gma’s Community Kitchen, a group that supports asylum seekers in south London, said: “We are trying to stop police deporting migrants.

“These are human beings who don’t deserve to be moved around like cattle. It’s state-sponsored human trafficking, that’s why we are here.

“Today they are moving them to Bibby Stockholm. We are going to block the method of transporting them.

“We will find any way to stop the coach from moving, whatever that looks like.”

One masked demonstrator wearing camouflage combat trousers and a green hooded jacket added: “The revolution is coming and it looks beautiful.”

10:16 AM BST

Pictured: Officers engage with protesters

10:06 AM BST

Masked protesters standing outside hotel

Around a dozen masked protesters were standing outside the hotel in groups of three and four.

Police officers asked the demonstrators how they were doing, but the protesters ignored them.

10:05 AM BST

Hotel gates guarded by security

The gates of the Best Western hotel in Peckham were being guarded by two members of its security staff, writes Alex Barton at the scene. 

Two Metropolitan Police officers were also stood at the doors of the hotel around 10 metres behind the gates.

Several officers were seen inside the hotel, while others marshalled the electric gates at the side of the building leading to the establishment’s car park.

More police patrolled the surrounding area.

Residents of the hotel were being allowed out of the premises without checks.

09:26 AM BST

Pictured: Police wait nearby