Protesters clash outside Merseyside asylum seeker hotel

Protesters person clashed with constabulary extracurricular a edifice that provides refuge for asylum seekers connected Merseyside.

Videos posted connected societal media amusement ample groups of radical gathered adjacent the Suites Hotel successful Prescot on with footage of a constabulary van connected fire.

Merseyside Police said officers had been dealing with what they described arsenic an "initially peaceful protestation and antagonistic protest" connected Ribblers Lane.

The unit said missiles had been thrown and constabulary vehicles damaged.

The protestation is believed to person been sparked by a video, filmed adjacent the hotel, connected societal media.

A constabulary spokesperson said officers arrived astatine astir 18:30 GMT.

"Officers were facilitating an initially peaceful protestation and antagonistic protestation connected Ribblers Lane," the spokesperson said.

"During the evening, missiles person reportedly been thrown and harm caused to a constabulary vehicle. No injuries person been reported astatine this time.

"Additional officers are successful the country to woody with these incidents."

Police person implemented a fig of roadworthy closures connected the East Lancs Road and are urging motorists to debar the country and those successful the country to disperse.

Knowsley MP Sir George Howarth has called for calm, saying: "I person referred an alleged incidental posted connected societal media, which has triggered a objection extracurricular the Suites Hotel, to Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council.

"Until the constabulary person investigated the matter, it is excessively soon to leap to conclusions and the effort connected the portion of immoderate to inflame the concern is emphatically wrong."

Sir George added: "Those demonstrating against refugees astatine this protestation contiguous bash not correspond this community."

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