Scottish Tory leader says asylum hotel protests ‘understandable’

David Wallace LockhartPolitical correspondent, BBC ScotlandAngus CochraneBBC Scotland NewsPA MediaRussell Findlay says the UK immigration system must be “truthful”It’s “comprehensible” that persons are protesting outdoors of motels housing asylum seekers, the chief of the Scottish Conservatives has stated. Russell Findlay insisted that “lawful” demonstrations had been “fully cheap”.Anti-immigration protests have been held in Perth, Aberdeenshire and Falkirk this month, with officers elevating fears that the occasions might flip violent. Marketing campaign group Stand as much as Racism Scotland accused Findlay of scapegoating refugees.The Scottish Tory chief, chatting with journalists after a speech in Glasgow, raised the case of Sadeq Nikzad, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was jailed for 9 years in June for raping a 15-year-old lady in Falkirk in 2023.PA MediaRival demonstrations had been held outdoors a lodge in Perth this weekend Findlay instructed BBC Scotland Information: “It is comprehensible in these circumstances why communities would query your complete integrity and security of the immigration system. “And I believe so long as that is being achieved lawfully and respectfully that’s fully proper they usually have the fitting to protest.”He stated any illegal exercise “must be handled robustly by the police and the courts”. Findlay instructed reporters that the UK wanted to draw “good high quality immigration” and that the system must be “truthful”. However Stand as much as Racism Scotland stated the protests had been designed to “intimidate individuals who have fled conflict, poverty or prosecution”.A spokesperson stated: “We condemn Findlay’s makes an attempt to level the blame for the issues affecting working-class folks at this time away from these accountable, and as a substitute to scapegoat migrants and refugees.”PA MediaProtests have been held outdoors motels throughout the UK in latest months, following a wave of violence directed in direction of asylum seekers in England final summer time. Council leaders in Perth have warned the occasions might flip violent and stated many protesters had been “bussed in” from elsewhere.Council officers additionally accused some protesters of spreading misinformation about folks within the asylum system. At an illustration outdoors a former lodge in Falkirk, a minimum of one individual carried out a Nazi salute whereas one other carried a banner that stated “Kill ‘Em All, Let God Type ‘Em Out”.Extra demonstrations are deliberate in Scotland within the coming weeks, together with an area group in Falkirk which plans to line the streets with Saltire flags. This mimics the latest flying of St George’s flags and union jacks on England’s streets.In addition to the Scottish occasions, demonstrations had been held in a number of components of England, in addition to in Mould in Wales and County Antrim in Northern Eire.The BBC has recognized far-right activists at a few of the protests, which have been promoted on social media beneath pink, white and blue banner textual content with slogans resembling “Defend Our Group”, “Security of Girls and Kids Earlier than Foreigners” and “All Patriots Welcome”.The UK authorities has vowed to overtake of the asylum appeals system in a bid to chop the variety of migrants staying in motels whereas they await a ruling.Dwelling Secretary Yvette Cooper stated she would finish “unacceptable delays”, with a brand new physique, staffed by impartial adjudicators, to be established.