A migrant resident of the Highfield House Hotel in Southampton was arrested by police on Monday afternoon, shortly after 11am. Witnesses say the arrest appeared to be a planned operation, with four officers arriving in a police van and detaining the individual in handcuffs before taking him away from Highfield Lane at around 11:30am.
“This isn’t the first time the police have been into the hotel to speak to people living there. The Southampton police are doing a great job though,” said a local resident, who asked not to be named.
The arrest took place against the backdrop of ongoing protests outside the hotel. Several hundred anti-illegal immigration demonstrators have been gathering peacefully most weekends, expressing frustration at what they describe as government inaction on border control and concerns for local safety. The protests have drawn participants of all ages, from children to grandparents.
Highfield House Hotel has housed migrants for the past six years. Residents of neighbouring Avondale Court claim their lives have been severely disrupted since asylum seekers were moved into the hotel. They allege repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour, including hotel guests urinating against their building, groups drinking in the private car park late into the night, smoking drugs, attempted break-ins, damage to sheds and gardens, and, more recently, the building’s front door being kicked in. Some residents also report individuals knocking on windows late at night, creating what they describe as an “intimidating atmosphere”.
The Southampton Times has approached Hampshire Constabulary for comment.
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