Aberdeen City Council urges asylum hotel protesters to 'respect' those living inside

Aberdeen City Council is urging protesters planning to demonstrate outside asylum hotels to “respect the rights” of those living inside.

Anti-immigration protests have taken place outside the former Hilton Double Tree, the Best Western Hotel and the Hampton by Hilton in the city.

Following one demonstration on August 2, five men were charged with allegedly inciting racial hatred.

The local authority has since published an open letter signed by SNP group leader Councillor Christian Allard, LibDem group leader Councillor Ian Yuill, and Scottish Labour group leader Councillor Mohammed Tauqeer Malik.

It states that “false claims and hateful rhetoric” are threatening “community cohesion.”

The council has also called on those planning to join further protests to respect each other as well as those living in the asylum hotels.

The letter reads: “Many in Aberdeen, volunteers across all sectors and all walks of life, are supporting people fleeing wars and persecution and doing an amazing job on our behalf.

“We urge everyone thinking of joining gatherings in front of hotels being used by the Home Office to accommodate asylum seekers to respect one another and to respect the rights of the people seeking asylum.

“We condemn the false claims and hateful rhetoric that are threatening community cohesion.

“We will work to ensure that Aberdeen remains a city that welcomes newcomers and treats them with dignity and respect.”

The open letter comes one day after the Cladhan Hotel in Falkirk, which houses asylum seekers, was targeted in a brick attack.

Police were called to the premises at around 12.05am on Tuesday after reports of a window being smashed by a brick.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney branded the attack as “absolutely despicable”.