The United Kingdom’s asylum system is once again at the center of public and political turmoil as the Labour government pledges urgent reforms to address growing tensions over the housing of asylum seekers in hotels. The announcement follows a weekend of nationwide protests and counter-protests, many of them heated, outside hotels being used as temporary accommodation for migrants.

The unrest reflects a volatile intersection of public anger, court rulings, and administrative backlogs, leaving both the government and asylum seekers in a state of uncertainty. With 32,345 asylum seekers currently living in hotels across the UK, the Labour administration has promised an overhaul of what it describes as a “chaotic and broken” asylum system.

The immediate trigger for the latest wave of demonstrations came after a court ruling on August 22, which blocked the government from housing asylum seekers in a controversial hotel in Epping, southeast England. The site had already been a flashpoint for local opposition, and tensions escalated after a local resident was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl near the facility.

In response to the ruling, protest groups quickly organized demonstrations under the banner “Abolish Asylum System.” Over the weekend, events were staged in multiple cities including Bristol, Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Liverpool, Wakefield, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Perth, and central London. Counter-protesters, many mobilized by anti-racism and migrant rights organizations, also gathered in significant numbers, leading to clashes in some areas.

In Bristol, mounted police were deployed to separate rival factions after scuffles broke out. Keith Smith of........

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