Three people, including a 36-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman from Crowborough, and a 54-year-old man from Newhaven, were arrested on Saturday after two incidents of disorder outside the East Sussex asylum seeker camp in Crowborough. The arrests came after two separate gatherings at the entrance to the camp on Friday, where protesters allegedly caused an obstruction by shouting abuse and striking a vehicle.
The crowd's peaceful start escalated when three individuals became threatening and intimidating, prompting police action. According to Sussex Police, the Home Office remains responsible for the site's security and its occupants, and officers are urging anyone with concerns about the site to contact the Home Office directly.
The move has sparked opposition from local residents and Wealden district council, which is considering taking legal action. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, recently visited Crowborough and pledged to defend any potential legal challenges "vigorously", saying that getting rid of asylum hotels was "absolutely crucial for the country". However, critics argue that this approach puts vulnerable individuals at risk.
The Crowborough training camp is one of two military sites announced by the government last year as part of its plan to move asylum seekers out of hotels. The site is currently housing around 27 men, with plans to accommodate up to 500 in total.
The crowd's peaceful start escalated when three individuals became threatening and intimidating, prompting police action. According to Sussex Police, the Home Office remains responsible for the site's security and its occupants, and officers are urging anyone with concerns about the site to contact the Home Office directly.
The move has sparked opposition from local residents and Wealden district council, which is considering taking legal action. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, recently visited Crowborough and pledged to defend any potential legal challenges "vigorously", saying that getting rid of asylum hotels was "absolutely crucial for the country". However, critics argue that this approach puts vulnerable individuals at risk.
The Crowborough training camp is one of two military sites announced by the government last year as part of its plan to move asylum seekers out of hotels. The site is currently housing around 27 men, with plans to accommodate up to 500 in total.
its crazy how things escalated from peaceful protests to threats and intimidation, right? i mean, i get it, people are passionate about the issue, but is it really necessary for ppl to be shouting abuse and striking a vehicle? 
i also cant believe the home sec's stance on this whole thing... she's like "vigorously defending" the government's plan, but what about the vulnerable asylum seekers? they're already in such a tough spot, do we really need to put them at even more risk? 
. It's like they're just pawns in a bigger game 
. Have we really thought through the consequences of putting vulnerable people in a military site? It's not safe, guys! 
.
. I mean, they're supposed to be looking out for people's rights, but instead they're just pushing them around like a bunch of pawns 
. We need more empathy and understanding here, not just some politicians spouting off about "getting rid" of something 
.
. It's like we're just abandoning them 
. it's like, can't we all just try to understand each other a bit more? 
.
. Can't we just leave people alone and focus on helping them instead of making things more complicated? 
It's not like this is an easy problem to solve, but we need to approach it with some kindness and understanding 
Like, we can't just leave them out there with no protection or support. But at the same time, it's not fair to force these asylum seekers into some kind of limbo where they don't know what's going to happen next... 
and not taking ownership of the situation. And what about the residents who are already living in fear because of these military sites being set up near their homes? 
