Asylum seekers in Aberdeen have been moved from hotels into empty student accommodation following more protests across Scotland this week.
The decision has been criticised by the city council, with the Home Office urged to reconsider the move.
The Home Office said it was “committed to closing all asylum hotels”.
“I would have thought that the Home Office would understand the situation in Aberdeen and would make sure that we take account of not only the community but also the safety of asylum seekers,” co-leader of Aberdeen City Council Christian Allard told STV News.
“I think the Home Office should reconsider and think twice before they move asylum seekers from one site to another, really, for no reason at all.”
STV NewsA spokesperson for the Home Office said it is looking at a range of “more appropriate” housing options for asylum seekers, including places like the empty student flats.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have committed to close all asylum hotels and to achieve this, we will look at a range of more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities.
“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course.”
It comes after weeks of rising tensions over the housing of asylum seekers across the country.
In recent months, several anti-immigration demonstrations have taken place outside asylum hotels in Scotland, including the former Hilton Double Tree, the Best Western Hotel and the Hampton by Hilton in Aberdeen.
The city council previously urged protesters planning to demonstrate outside asylum hotels in the city to “respect the rights” of those living inside.
Following one demonstration on August 2, five men were charged with allegedly inciting racial hatred.
The local authority has since published an open letter signed by Allard, LibDem group leader councillor Ian Yuill, and Scottish Labour group leader councillor Mohammed Tauqeer Malik.
It claimed that “false claims and hateful rhetoric” were threatening “community cohesion.”
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