Pro and anti-immigration protestors hold demonstrations in Faversham
Police say there were no arrests
Hundreds of protesters and counter-demonstrators descended on a Kent market town over immigration.
A group of anti-immigration demonstrators bearing English and British flags gathered in Faversham on Saturday morning – claiming they were protesting to “save our kids” and oppose asylum seekers.
They were met and outnumbered by a group of counter demonstrators organised by Faversham Against Racism and others.
People began to gather outside the Post Office from about 10am waving banners.
One witness described “yelling” and people draped in flags.
Other people held placards saying “refugees welcome”.
It comes in the wake of weeks of discontent and protests around the country.
Jenny Holt, local resident, said: “I’m here to stand and be counted – these people are divisive.
“Some people think it’s simply racism, I think it’s a bit more than simply racism, but it’s an unhappy place to be.
“I didn’t know what to expect actually, there’s been a lot of flags put up over the last day or so.
“There’s a fascist element here, but I’m very pleased to see as many people as I see in opposition to it.”
There was no police presence in the town centre until some time after the groups were in confrontation.
Simon Rowlands, a local vicar, attended the counter protest, saying: “With the flags hanging around town people living in this community, our community, were frightened.
“I’m so delighted that so many people have turned up today to say that actually this is our town, that we believe in love, that people should be free to walk the streets without fear.”
During the confrontation, one man on the anti-immigration side shouted “communist scum” at counter protesters.
Harry Hilden, organiser of the protest locally, started a chant of “lefty scum off our streets”.
Amid the crowd, Anne Furedi, chairwoman of the Faversham Society was in attendance as she was helping run the visitors centre for the day.
“This is amazing – it really shows you the two sides of Faversham,” she said.
“Underneath it this looks to me as if it’s very class based – there’s one side that seems to be better represented, and then there’s a whole pile of people who generally feel that they have not been listened to.
“I’ve never seen this many people out on the streets and so angry.”
Cllr Alastair Gould (Green), of Swale Borough Council, attended the counter protest because “the idea of protesting against children who are in dire circumstances is abhorrent”.
Acacia Court, formerly Kiln Court, was the destination of the demonstration, as the former care home has been used to house unaccompanied asylum seeking children for about a year.
However, Cllr Gould was enthused by the counter protestors outnumbering other demonstrators, saying: “I’m really glad – I know the people of Faversham well, I’ve worked here 34 years and this doesn’t surprise me, this is what Faversham is about.”
The anti-immigration crowd were then met by a group of bikers, and proceeded through Faversham towards Acacia Court.
While going through the town they chanted “whose streets, our streets” while escorted by police.
They were met at Acacia Court by a large crowd of counter-protestors, chanting “no hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here”.
The groups were separated by a police line.
Jo Burns told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We’re protesting about the illegal immigrants.
“They’ve asylum seekers got no documentation for a start,” she said.
“We should be in England, this is our place not theirs, they’ve all come over on a boat.
“Save our kids, get them out the county and back to where they came from.”
In recent weeks, there have been demonstrations against immigration and asylum seekers’ accommodation across Kent and the country.
Some were prompted following an Ethiopian asylum seeker housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, being charged with sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl.
He has since been found guilty.
Elizabeth White, bearing a flag saying “what about our kids”, said she was attending “to support our community and show the pride we have in this country, it’s not about race”.
She added: “It’s all about prioritising our country, and our country is going to sink with the amount of boats that are coming in
“For whatever reason they’re leaving their countries they shouldn’t be coming here and attacking our children.
“I am concerned about my child and I’m concerned about every child in this community.
“All the young children that play in the park, it’s not safe to even send them out anymore.
“They say there’s 12 year olds in there Acacia Court but the lads that I’ve seen coming out of there, kicking our kids off the field to play football, they’ve got facial hair, they’re standing on the corner of the street smoking.”
Separated by police, the two groups shouted slogans at each other intermittently for about two hours before the anti-immigration crowd gradually dispersed.
A spokesman for Kent Police said: “Kent Police officers attended locations in Faversham on Saturday, September 6 to ensure protests by groups with opposing views remained peaceful.
“No serious disorder was reported and there were no arrests.”