Protesters in new clash at hotel at centre of asylum seeker accommodation plan

Protesters have clashed at a hotel in Renfrewshire for the third week in a row over plans to accommodate asylum seekers.

Members of the Patriotic Alternative, designated as a far-right group by anti-racist campaigners Hope Not Hate, have been gathering at the Muthu Glasgow River Hotel in Erskine every Sunday in protest at plans to accommodate 200 asylum seekers.

Activists from the Stand Up to Racism campaign hosted a counter-demonstration in response.

A spokesman for the organisation who lives in Erskine accused Patriotic Alternative of spreading “hate, misinformation and lies” in the local community.

In a video posted from the demonstration, he said: “You only have to look at their website to see that’s the case.

“The truth of the matter is, Erskine, and I speak for Erskine, we say yes.

“Yes to refugees, no to the Patriotic Alternative.

“They can go away, they are not welcome in Erskine. Refugees, we welcome them.”

The group estimated there were around 100 Stand Up to Racism activists at the protest.

Patriotic Alternative claimed 180 people turned up to the protest.

Police confirmed they were aware of the protest and officers had been in attendance.

They added “at this time, there are no reports of any arrests”.

Community concerns about asylum seekers being accommodated in the hotel surfaced last month after Erskine Community Council became aware that around 200 men aged between 18 and 40 would be housed at the hotel.

The council claimed it had no prior knowledge of this and the community had not been consulted.

Local MP Gavin Newlands accused Patriotic Alternative of “latching on” to the issue to use it for “racist and xenophobic ends”.

Writing on his official Facebook page last month, he said: I utterly despise and condemn the words and actions of far-right groups who have latched on to this issue and sought to use it for their own racist and xenophobic ends.

“This group has targeted a number of local SNP politicians, resulting in my staff and I requiring a police presence at my Erskine surgery last week, despite this having absolutely nothing to do with Renfrewshire Council or the Scottish Government – indeed, even if they wanted to, neither could do anything to stop the UK Government’s Home Office using Erskine Bridge.”