Preston remains a ‘city of hope and compassion for all’ is the message from the council leader ahead of expected protests in and on the border of the city this weekend.
A protest is planned to take place outside the Tickled Trout Hotel at Samlesbury and a separate freedom of speech protest is also planned on the Flag Market during Saturday (13 September) afternoon.
Lancashire Police say ‘appropriate resources’ will be deployed and ‘everyone has a right to go about their lives without fear or risk of harm’.
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Preston City Council’s Labour leader councillor Matthew Brown has released a statement ahead of the protests saying they will ‘resist any attempt to undermine the safety, dignity or cohesion of Preston’s communities’.
He said: “I am proud to be the leader of a city which has long traditions of respect and kindness to all. As a City of Sanctuary we have welcomed those fleeing violence and persecution through no fault of their own. This is an expression of our shared humanitarian values.
“People have the right to protest and I understand the concerns people have, especially about the economic conditions many still struggle with, but this can never descend into actions that seek to divide or incite fear.
“We will therefore resist any attempt to undermine the safety, dignity or cohesion of Preston’s communities. Preston City Council stands firmly against any action of event of this kind and I am concerned misinformation in some cases is causing or escalating tension in our communities.
“The district of Preston currently has no hotels accommodating asylum seekers and we are not aware of any government plans to create any.
“We have a hotel operating just outside our boundary which is accommodating those who supported British troops in Afghanistan and their families. This is a temporary arrangement put in place by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). We will continue to work with our partners including Lancashire Constabulary and community and faith-based organisations to ensure Preston remains a city of hope and compassion for all.”
The Tickled Trout Hotel, as Blog Preston revealed in June, has been taken on by the Ministry of Defence under the Afghan resettlement scheme for temporary use. The hotel sits within the boundary of South Ribble Borough Council. Blog Preston has approached the borough council for comment.
A number of small-scale protests have already taken place outside the hotel but it is understood Saturday’s action is part of a wider right-wing movement to protest against the use of hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers. It will take place outside the hotel – which now has a security fence around it – at the Tickled Trout roundabout on the A59.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We want to reassure the communities of Lancashire, if we become aware of planned protests or disorder, we can respond quickly and effectively.
“Appropriate resources will be deployed in response to planned protests or disorder, while dedicated intelligence teams are already in place, operating to identify any risks or threats to our communities.
“The policing response to planned protests will balance the lawful right to peaceful protest with the need to prevent serious disruption and everyone’s right to go about their lives without fear or risk of harm. If anyone commits a criminal offence at a protest or undertakes disorder they will be dealt with fairly but firmly and within the law.
“In Lancashire we have a strong tradition of community, and we will work with residents and partners to ensure we are ready to respond appropriately.”
A separate protest, taking place on Preston’s Flag Market, is being organised by Jemma Rushe who stood as a candidate in May’s local elections for Reform in the Preston South West division.
Posts on social media state the protest it is a peaceful protest on the Flag Market to promote free speech, demand deportations and limit the use of houses of multiple occupation and hotels for asylum seekers. The posts, which include the Union Jack flag, encourage people ‘to bring flags and positive energy’.
Blog Preston approached Jemma Rushe for comment about the Flag Market protest but she declined to comment.
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