Dramatic footage shows tensions mounting as protesters clash with police at a demonstration outside a hotel which reportedly sacked its staff to make way for asylum seekers.
Protesters surrounded four star Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, which is reportedly making all 95 of its staff redundant to begin housing up to 241 asylum seekers across its 76 rooms.
In chaotic video which has emerged of the protest in Wales, a man is heard shouting at other demonstrators: ‘Sit on the floor, they need four officers to move you if you sit on the floor.’
Riled up crowd members were heard chanting’ de-escalation’ and ‘shame on you, officer’ as they cuffed one woman.
The man filming shouts ‘so the local police are now standing against the local people’.
Others shout ‘oh my God’ and ‘get off her’ as a woman appears to be arrested. Furious protesters yelled at the officers, branding them ‘scum’ before another man is heard shouting: ‘Who’s assaulting who now, b*****ds…’
Police officers cuffing a woman as part of the protests – she insisted she hadn’t ‘done anything’
Furious protesters shouted ‘shame on you’ as officers held a woman
Footage shared online shows how the protest outside the hotel in Wales escalated
A woman who is being held by police insists ‘I’m not doing anything, do you think this is right?’
A man claims: ‘She stood in the road and that was it folks.’
Protestors opposed to the Home Office plans surrounded the hotel with a view to blocking the facility’s conversion.
Local police were yesterday called to the scene by security staff at around 8.40am and stayed throughout the day as more protestors gathered.
The force later arrested two people for allegedly preventing the movement of a vehicle that was blocking the hotel’s entrance before releasing both individuals on bail.
The Home Office plans to convert the hotel into a housing facility for asylum seekers have seen the hotel fire 50 full time staff and another 45 part time workers.
The plans are set to see the hotel house up 241 asylum seekers as they wait for their claims to be processed.
However, the Home Office’s decisions garnered major opposition from local campaigners who are calling for asylum seekers to be more evenly distributed throughout the area.
Locals voice their concern to police officers outside the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Wales
Police officers lined up outside the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Wales
‘Officers remain at the scene to facilitate peaceful protest, where they are engaging with all parties and offering reassurance to the community’
The blockade is aiming to prevent the hotel from being converted into a facility for housing asylum seekers
Protestors have started blockading the Stradey park Hotel in Llanelli after it fired 95 staff in plans to house up to 241 asylum seekers
Local campaigners have surrounded the hotel in opposition to the Home Office plans
Carmarthenshire County Council on Friday lost its High Court bid to block the plans after claiming the conversion would ’cause harm’ to Llannelli’s economy.
All events, including weddings at the venue have been cancelled, in line with the aim to convert the spa hotel into a housing facility.
The Stradey Park Hotel and Spa, which sits inside a converted Edwardian mansion, is currently the largest hotel in Llanelli.
The blockade is aiming to prevent the hotel from being converted into a facility for housing asylum seekers.
Local campaigners have said they support ‘Carmarthenshire Council’s preferred model of distributing asylum seekers throughout the wider community’.
In an online petition, campaign group Furnace Action Committee noted that they ‘wish to see’ the hotel continue to ‘play its vital role in Carmarthenshire’s tourism policy’.
Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith yesterday called on local people to remain ‘calm’ as she said those with ‘genuine concerns’ about the Home Office plans should come to local representatives.
The MP for Llanelli called on local people to ignore ‘unpleasant stuff’ posted on social media following concerns about the involvement of far right elements.
‘What is important now is to differentiate between where a resident has a genuine concern about something, and some of the horrible stuff that we have seen on social media,’ the Labour MP told BBC One Wales.
The protestors have claimed the Home Office plans will damage Llanelli’s local economy
Police arrested two people accused of preventing the removal of a vehicle that was blocking the entrance to the four-star hotel
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesman said: ‘Officers have been at the scene of a protest at Stradey Park Hotel, in Llanelli, yesterday, following several incidents that caused a disturbance at the site.
‘Officers initially attended the site at around 8.40am at the request of security staff and remained at the scene to facilitate peaceful protest as the group increased in size.
‘Two people were arrested on suspicion of obstructing police following an incident whereby protestors prevented the recovery of a vehicle blocking the entrance to the property. They have been released on police bail.
‘Officers remain at the scene to facilitate peaceful protest, where they are engaging with all parties and offering reassurance to the community.’
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.
‘We have been clear that the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 51,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £6million a day.
‘The Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer.’
Stradey Park Hotel and Dyfed-Powys Police were contacted by MailOnline for further comment.
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