It's been claimed asylum seekers have been assaulted in the streets in the weeks following violent protests outside the Suites Hotel.
Knowsley MP Sir George Howarth made the claims in the House of Commons earlier this week speaking in opposition to the government's "small boats" bill. The deeply controversial Illegal Immigration Bill passed its first Commons hurdle on Monday night being voted through with a majority of 62.
The bill would see anyone arriving in the UK on a small boat have their asylum claim deemed "inadmissible" with arrivals subsequently removed. The bill has been criticised by Labour for "enabling" modern slavery. Speaking in opposition during the bill's second reading, Sir George said the situation for asylum seekers in Knowsley has "deteriorated" since the hotel protest on February 10.
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An initial peaceful protest and counter protest outside Kirkby's Suites Hotel turned violent when missiles were thrown at police. A police riot van parked near the protests was vandalised before being set on fire. Fifteen people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and a teenager was charged with assaulting an emergency worker.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy later said the protest was fuelled by "misinformation" circulated on social media about an incident earlier in that week. Detectives investigating reports of a man making inappropriate advances towards a teenage girl arrested him before later releasing him with no further action.
Labour MP Sir George told the Commons "we should all be ashamed" of the ongoing situation. He criticised home secretary Suella Braverman's language when describing asylum seekers, which has been described as demonising.
He added: "There is a hotel in Knowsley with 180-plus asylum seekers. I won’t talk about that in detail because I had an urgent question on it a few weeks ago. But what I will say is since then the situation has deteriorated to the extent that some of the refugees have been verbally abused in the street, and others have been assaulted.
"And they have fled because the countries they come from were unsafe, only to find themselves in an unsafe position in this country. And I think we should all be ashamed. It’s not just happening in Knowsley, it’s happening all over the country."
Merseyside Police was also approached for comment.
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