Hundreds take to the streets in march against plans to house 540 migrants in former army barracks
Hundreds of people took to the streets today to protest controversial plans to house 540 immigrants at the former student camp.
Male asylum seekers are set to move into army barracks in Crowborough as part of a plan to reduce the number of hotels the government uses to house them.
Since the announcement, angry locals have been marching in the Sussex town every Sunday to oppose the plans.
They resumed their protests today; Hundreds of people gathered outside the old barracks and marched towards the town with a police escort.
Campaigners have accused the Home Office of ‘shameful and deceptive’ behavior after photos emerged showing equipment being ‘smuggled’ into the site.
Pictures show trucks carrying what campaigners say is a large supply of food and refrigeration units at the camp.
This comes after the Home Office stressed that no final decision had been made on whether the camp would be used.
A crowd of campaigners took to the streets of Crowborough waving flags for the 12th week in a row
Since the announcement angry locals have been marching in the Sussex town every Sunday to oppose the plans
Campaigners are angry at the lack of community consultation and accused the Home Secretary of being ‘rude’ about community feelings.
Many say former sheltered housing should be used by the under-pressure NHS to ease hospital bed congestions.
They also fear that if the offer is accepted, it could make single men, whose backgrounds they know nothing about, feel unsafe in their own homes.
Crowborough Shield, a community action group, has raised more than £93,000 to help fund legal action for a Judicial Review of Home Office plans.
Campaigner Eddie Fahey said: ‘When you see the equipment being sneaked in in the dark you know the decision has already been made and any claims to the contrary are lies.
‘It’s a shame that we are treated like this. It’s a shame that our legitimate concerns are being ignored.’
Paddy Mounfield said: ‘This is evidence that the Home Office has decided to go ahead. Show this to the courts, so they can see what a liar the government is.’
Jenni Lin said: ‘I expect the camp to be occupied by next week. There is no information, transparency or honesty coming from any politician, local or national.
‘Starmer keeps saying he is closing asylum hotels to relieve pressure on communities, but he is sending 540 people into a community that does not have the infrastructure to support the existing society.’
Locals waved the St George’s and Union Flags and held banners reading ‘Crowborough says no’
A group of locals adorned with British flags watch as marchers make their way into town
Campaigners furious over lack of community consultation before plans were made
Campaigners meet and greet over shared disappointment over Home Office decision
Ben Reid said: ‘The Home Office’s behavior is nothing short of disgraceful. They are completely deceiving the people of Crowborough, who deserve to be consulted on a matter that will change the town so much.
‘It is a complete disgrace that the life of a society is trampled on in this way. The government will see this at the ballot box.’
Crowborough Shield said there was a lack of transparency around the decision and the Home Office was angry at the lack of consultation.
The number of staff in the camp has raised serious concerns about police provision and its impact on infrastructure and health services.
Director Kim Bailey said yesterday: ‘We know there are food trucks at the camp and lots of other things going on there.
‘We no longer know when the refugees will arrive. We have no other information than the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They maintain that they have not yet reached a decision. We all know this isn’t true.
‘We think it’s really important to go out and remind the Home Office and the Home Secretary that we stand firm in what we say.
‘These reckless decisions about our town that impact our way of life are not something we will just stand by and let happen.
‘There needs to be due process, there needs to be impact assessment and there needs to be involvement from us as residents.’
Locals held banners to express their opposition to plans to house migrants in a former military barracks
‘We have been betrayed by our leaders,’ one sign read. We have rights too’, while another read: Stop the madness
Today, marchers took to the streets for the 12th time to protest the plans of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In a letter to local authority Wealden District Council, the Home Office wrote: ‘A final decision has not yet been made as to whether the Crowborough site will be used to accommodate asylum seekers.’
He apologized for plans to use the Crowborough camp to house asylum seekers but said he was determined to end the use of hotels to house migrants.
A spokesman previously said: ‘We are outraged at the level of illegal immigrants and asylum hotels.
‘This government will close all asylum hotels. Work continues, with more suitable areas being highlighted to ease the pressure on communities and reduce shelter costs.
‘We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across government to accelerate delivery.’
