Protestors gathered outside a hotel on the Nottinghamshire border opposing its housing of asylum seekers were outnumbered by those saying the UK should welcome them. A demonstration had been organised for 12pm on Saturday (February 25) outside the Novotel in Long Eaton, which was taken over by the Home Office last October.
But after hearing about the protest, groups - including Open Nottingham - organised a counter-demonstration which took place from 11am. Those taking part in the counter-demonstration numbered around 100 at one stage, with one of the speakers addressing the assembled crowd saying: "We were clear from the very start, after what happened in Mansfield, that we were not going to allow asylum seekers and refugees to be harassed by anyone."
The incident in Mansfield being referred to took place outside the town's Midland Hotel on February 4, where people gathered directly outside the doors of the hotel to protest against its accommodation of migrants. Protests against the Government's use of hotels for asylum seekers have been taking place across the country in recent weeks.
