Three people have been arrested after two incidents of disorder outside a former army camp being used to house asylum seekers
Three people have been arrested after two incidents of disorder outside a former army camp being used to house asylum seekers.
The incidents happened outside the entrance to the Crowborough site in East Sussex, where a group of people had gathered on Friday. As a vehicle attempted to leave, two men and a woman within the group acted in a “threatening and intimidatory” manner, “shouted abuse” and blocked the vehicle from leaving by striking it and frightening passengers, a Sussex Police spokesperson said.
A 36-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman, both from Crowborough, and a 54-year-old man from Newhaven, were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of an offence under section 4a of the Public Order Act, the force. All three people remain in custody.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “The gathering was initially peaceful, however when a vehicle was leaving the site, three individuals were threatening and intimidatory. The individuals caused an obstruction, shouted abuse and struck the vehicle, alarming the driver and passengers.”
About 27 men are being currently housed at the camp, where the Home Office plans to accommodate up to 500 men in a bid to end the use of asylum hotels. The move has been met with opposition from local residents and the local authority, Wealden District Council, which has said it is considering legal action.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said: “We know that the use of the Crowborough training camp for asylum accommodation has caused concern within the community. Sussex Police has engaged with lawful protesters regularly over their concerns and will continue to enable the right to peaceful protest. However, last night there was a small group of people within the gathering that acted in a threatening and intimidatory manner to people going about their lawful business at the entrance to the site.
“This behaviour is not acceptable and we will not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour. Our officers are working hard to ensure everyone in and around Crowborough and at the camp are kept safe. Where individuals seek to commit criminal acts, they can expect to face robust action from the police.“We have increased our police presence in Crowborough and the surrounding area to provide a clear point of contact for the public for engagement and reassurance, which will continue over the coming weeks. Any incidents will be responded to based on threat, harm and risk in line with our existing processes for preventing crime and responding to calls for service across Sussex.
“We will continue to work with our partners to support the local community and encourage anyone with concerns to speak with officers in the street or at their local police station. The Home Office retains responsibility for the site, its security and its occupants, and we encourage anyone with concerns relating to the site to contact the Home Office in the first instance.”
The Crowborough site was previously used to house Afghan families evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021, according to the Home Office.
The government has vowed to stop the use of asylum hotels by 2029. On a visit to Crowborough on Thursday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she would defend any legal challenge “vigorously”. She has been tasked with speeding up efforts to close asylum hotels and has argued that using military sites is a vital part of ending that plan.
Crowborough is one of two military sites the government announced last year that it would use to house asylum seekers, along with Cameron Barracks in Inverness in the Highlands.
