Asylum seekers still in hotels a week after Glasgow attack

Hundreds of asylum seekers are “still stuck in limbo” in Glasgow hotels a week after the knife attack at the Park Inn, the Scottish Refugee Council said.

After the attack in Glasgow last Friday, Mears Group – the company paid by the Home Office to house asylum seekers – said it would try to get those living in hotels back to houses and flats as soon as possible.

Asylum seekers were moved into the hotels during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sabir Zazai, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said he was extremely concerned about the situation and worried about the wellbeing of those stuck in hotels.

Mr Zazai said: “Many of these men and women have fled warzones to resettle in Scotland.

“They have been living in city centre hotels for the last three months with no money, little control over their lives and very limited access to support services throughout the lockdown period.

“Mears Group, who oversee asylum housing in Glasgow, committed last week to start moving people out of hotels and into proper flats and houses.

“But one week on from the tragedy, people are still stuck in limbo in the hotels.”

Mr Zazai said the people they have spoken to in hotels this week are “frightened, in shock and really traumatised” by the incident at the Park Inn.

“We are working to ensure that people’s needs are assessed properly and urge Mears to move people swiftly and safely into their communities once this has been done.

“Last week saw the second death in Glasgow in Mears and Home Office-run hotels. It doesn’t get more serious than this.

“But things could get even worse if Mears and the Home Office don’t act with the utmost urgency to get people into safe, secure homes and do absolutely everything they can to avoid any further tragedies.”

PC David Whyte was injured while responding to Friday’s stabbing attack at the Park Inn on Glasgow’s West George Street.

Four other people were injured during the attack that saw the suspect, Badreddin Abedlla Adam, shot dead by Police Scotland.

The 28-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker had been staying at the hotel during the nationwide lockdown.