Protest held over asylum seeker military site plan.
Hundreds of people joined a demonstration against plans to lodge asylum seekers at a military base in East Sussex.
The government has stated that 600 individuals will be temporarily accommodated at a training camp on the outskirts of Crowborough.
Keith Brown, a local, stated, “If you dump any 600 young men of undocumented, unknown origin in a small town, you’re asking for trouble.” According to a representative for the Home Office, “the right to protest is fundamental to our democracy”.
According to Ben Grant, a resident, the proposals are “concerning many residents”. “Straight after our last council meeting, I had a lot of our vulnerable, elderly and especially women who told me they are really worried about their safety,” stated the mayor.
Rachel Nichols, a neighbour, disagreed: “We shouldn’t be put in a position where we have to stretch ourselves further to accommodate people who are not offering something back to our community.
According to Steve Smith of the refugee charity Care4Calais, the government has a duty under the Refugee Convention to lodge those who would otherwise be destitute. He described Crowborough as a “dilapidated old army camp” that would “cost a lot to set up” as housing for asylum seekers. “From my point of view, shovelling people into former barracks is not the best use of money and for those seeking asylum,” Mr. Smith claimed.
He stated that because many had been through terrible situations such as war, incarceration, and modern-day slavery, placing them in historic barracks was “not the best accommodation for people who had undergone these experiences”.
Earlier this week, the government said military sites were being considered with the aim of reducing the impact on communities and delivering better outcomes for taxpayers.
Wealden District Council has called for the reversal of the plans, claiming it had “totally failed” to engage with the community or provide assurances around safeguarding for both asylum seekers and residents.
Moving asylum seekers to military sites is part of the government’s attempt to end the controversial use of hotels – something it has pledged to do before the next election.
The government added that the site would comply with safety and security standards.
As of June, about 32,000 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels, down from a peak of more than 56,000 in 2023, according to government figures.
Wealden District Council raised concerns about “staffing at the camp, police provision and the additional strain on already overstretched public services”.
A petition against the move has been set up, which has attracted about 6,000 signatures.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “A planned peaceful protest took place in Crowborough on Saturday morning.
“Officers worked to keep any disruption to the public and businesses in the locality to a minimum.”
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