Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has said he understands why people have been protesting outside hotels housing asylum seekers.
A number of demonstrations have taken place in recent weeks, most notably in Merseyside where 15 people were arrested, a police van was set on fire and officers were pelted with objects in violent clashes near the Suites Hotel in Knowsley.
Speaking to the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast with Nick Robinson, Mr Anderson defended protesters turning up at hotels providing refuge for asylum seekers.
He said they were not “far-right extremists” but just “normal family people” who were upset that “200 to 300 young men have arrived” in their communities.
Mr Anderson was asked if he had sympathy with people protesting outside the hotels and said “of course I do”.
He added: “These are not far-right extremists, they are just normal family people from some of these towns and villages that are upset that overnight 200 to 300 young men have arrived.
“And then they are saying things to young girls – and I know there have been a few attacks and some horrible incidents.
“So of course, people are going to be concerned.”
The Hope Not Hate campaign group criticised Mr Anderson for his comments and accused him of “parroting misinformation”.
Georgie Laming Director of Campaigns and Communications said: “Language matters, to have a Conservative MP parroting the misinformation used by the far-right to exploit hotels should sound alarm bells.
“This is precisely the same kind of myths that the far-right are peddling to whip up hate around hotels. We can’t have a Conservative MP amplifying these messages.”
Hotels are being used by the Home Office as it attempts to make their way through a backlog of asylum cases.
Protests have erupted over the issue, with the most high-profile incident occurring last month after 15 people, including a 13-year-old boy, were arrested after violent clashes outside the Suites Hotel in Knowsley, Merseyside.
It was sparked by an allegation that a man made inappropriate advances towards a teenage girl. The alleged incident was investigated and the Crown Prosecution Service did not bring any charges.
Home secretary Suella Braverman condemned the violence and said that “the alleged behaviour of some asylum seekers is never an excuse for violence and intimidation”. She said: “I condemn the appalling disorder in Knowsley last night.”
Clare Moseley, founder of refugee charity Care4Calais, attended the protest with around 120 others after learning there was going to be a protest against asylum seekers at the hotel.
She said the scenes were “really shocking” and akin to a “war zone” after a police van was set ablaze. A man staying at the hotel said he was “terrified by the scenes.
Further protests have taken place outside hotels in Skegness and Newquay that have been attended by Patriotic Alternative, a far-right group that openly calls for non-whites to be ejected from the UK.
