Asylum seekers ’slept in the woods’ as rioters attacked Rotherham hotel in a ’disgusting display of thuggery’

A senior South Yorkshire Police officer describes "a particularly sickening moment" when a wheelie bin was pushed against the Holiday Inn, which provides accommodation for asylum seekers, and set on fire "with the clear intent to cause serious harm to the residents and staff".

Four asylum seekers slept in the woods after returning to their hotel in Rotherham to find rioters smashing its windows and starting fires outside, local security guards have told Sky News.

Masked rioters broke into the Holiday Inn Express hotel, which provides accommodation for asylum seekers, and destroyed a communal area as far-right violence escalated in towns and cities across the UK on Sunday.

Rocks and long pieces of wood were thrown at the hotel in South Yorkshire and at police officers who had lined up in front of the building as they tried to protect it.

A local councillor told Sky News how young children were looking out of the window of the hotel during the disorder.

South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield described the disorder as "a disgusting display of thuggery".

She said a group of 250 people had arrived in the area at around 11.30am on Sunday before they were joined by 500 others, who police believe held "far-right and anti-immigration views".

Rioters clash with police near the hotel in Rotherham. Pic: Reuters

Six people have been arrested - five in Rotherham and one in Sheffield - in relation to the violence. One person has been charged.

Ms Butterfield said: "Please be assured, we expect this number to increase significantly in the coming days." 

She added that at least 12 police officers were injured after being targeted with items such as bricks, fenceposts and branches.

The senior officer said: "There was a particularly sickening moment when a wheelie bin was pushed against the hotel and set on fire with the clear intent to cause serious harm to the residents and staff. It was known there were people residing and working in the hotel but the mindless individuals responsible had absolutely no regard for their safety.

"It was ultimately a disgusting display of thuggery, continuing well into the evening, with our policing operation only finishing around 5am."

She added: "Our police dogs suffered minor injuries after missiles were launched at them and horses had bricks, eggs, bottles and beer cans thrown at their heads.

"They were spat at and threats made to cut the saddles in an attempt to injure the riders."

Police dogs were deployed in Rotherham. Pic: Reuters

Young children seen inside hotel

The assistant chief constable’s comments come after local councillor Rachel Hughes, who was part of a counter-protest near the hotel, told how she tried to make heart signs and blow bubbles for a young girl and boy she saw at a window.

"They must have been terrified," she said.

"Can you imagine somebody screaming and shouting, breaking windows and setting fire to your home? That’s their home, albeit temporary."

The councillor said most of the rioters were from out of town and some had children of their own with them.

She added: "Immediately they were aggressive, they were shouting things at us. They’ve got children with them, some of them, and they were swearing and shouting racist stuff.

"I cried and cried last night, I was so upset by what happened. And those poor refugees in there who fled - God knows what they fled - and then they come here to have those thugs screaming abuse at them."

Sky News correspondent Becky Cotterill, who has been reporting from Rotherham, said she was told by security guards that four asylum seekers slept in the woods to avoid the disorder at the hotel.

She said: "We cannot underestimate how terrifying this must have been for the residents of this hotel.

"Asylum seekers, families presumably, parents and potentially young children, barricaded in their rooms as an angry mob broke down their windows."

One local resident, who did not want to be named, told how he was crying on Monday morning because he could not believe what had happened.

Another resident, a pregnant woman, said she was terrified and asked the council if they could move her family away for the night.

Rotherham FC’s community trust staff are involved in the clean-up operation today as people have been clearing up debris around the hotel.

The violence in Rotherham came on the sixth day of riots across UK towns and cities on Sunday - with the first breaking out near a mosque in Southport in the wake of a stabbing attack that left three girls dead in the Merseyside town.

False claims had circulated online that the suspect was a "Muslim immigrant", others suggested he was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat. The suspect was later named as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana - who was born in the UK to Rwandan parents.

Second hotel targeted

A Holiday Inn housing asylum seekers was also targeted by rioters in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on Sunday as rioters used petrol bombs to start fires.

Projectiles were also thrown at the building and windows were smashed.

Members of the public were told to avoid the area and one officer was injured, suffering a suspected broken arm.

Work is under way to remove graffiti that was sprayed on the wall of the Tamworth hotel

The scene outside the hotel in Tamworth this morning

Downing Street held an emergency COBRA meeting today in response to the attacks on the hotels and the wider disorder.

More than 140 people were arrested in riots across the UK on Sunday - with 43 detained in violence that broke out in Middlesbrough.

Greater Manchester Police said it arrested 19 people over the weekend - with five detained on Saturday and 14 on Sunday.

The arrests related to several different alleged offences, including criminal damage and violent disorder.

Seven people were charged with possession of a weapon, including two 16-year-olds, while one person was charged with assault.

Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said: "There are consequences for inciting hate and causing damage, and those who have broken the law will be held accountable for their actions."

Elsewhere on Sunday, a Section 34 dispersal notice was put in place in Bolton, giving officers extra powers to deal with anyone causing anti-social behaviour.

Greater Manchester Police also put a Section 34 in place in parts of Manchester on Saturday, as did police in Liverpool, Southport and Blackpool.

There was also violence on Saturday in towns and cities such as Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast which saw several police officers injured.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to do "whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice" as he addressed the nation amid rioting in UK streets.

James Smith