Police attacked as rioters storm Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers

Rioters attacked police officers and attempted to set fire to a hotel in Rotherham, as ITV News’ Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen reports

A mob of anti-immigration rioters have attempted to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, as unrest across the country continues.

Masked rioters smashed windows at the Holiday Inn in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, launching objects including pieces of wood and chairs at officers who lined up in front of the building.

At least one injured officer in riot gear was carried away by colleagues.

Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attack and branded the action “far-right thuggery” in an address to the nation following ongoing unrest across parts of the country.

He said he could “guarantee” rioters will “regret taking part in this disorder” as he vowed the government will do “whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice.

Videos from the scene appeared to show a fire inside the hotel, with riot police sprayed with fire extinguishers and a bin set alight close to the hotel’s entrance.

The prime minister said he wanted those who “feel targeted because of the colour of their skin” to know “this violent mob do not represent our country, and we will bring them to justice”.

“There is no justification, none, for taking this action. And all right-minded people should be condemning this assault of violence,” he said.

“People in this country have a right to be safe. And yet we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques.

“Other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won’t shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery.”

The Home Office has announced that mosques will be offered greater protection with new “emergency security” that can be rapidly deployed to respond to violent disorder sweeping across parts of England.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the attack in Rotherham as “utterly appalling”, as she backed police to take “the strongest action against those responsible”.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was “extremely concerned” by the “escalating violence” at the hotel.

“The people causing damage and attacking police do not represent our town and I am disgusted by their actions. This is criminal disorder and intimidation – not protest,” she said.

Elsewhere, Greater Manchester Police said a Section 34 dispersal notice has been authorised covering Bolton until 10pm on Sunday, where a protest is expected later.

Merseyside Police have introduced two section 60 orders giving officers greater stop-and-search powers covering Liverpool and Southport.

The orders were put in place at 2pm on Sunday and will stay active for a 12-hour period until 2am on Monday.

The unrest is the latest in a series of violent protests across the country.

More than 90 arrests have been made over the weekend and some charges have been brought, with police warning of more to come once footage has been scoured.

Sir Keir Starmer held crisis talks with ministers on Saturday over the unrest, with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood telling colleagues “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible”.

Fires were set outside the Holiday Inn in Rotherham / Credit: PA

Starmer has given police his “full backing” to take any action necessary to respond to “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” in communities.

There was violence on Saturday in towns and cities such as Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast which saw several police officers injured.

In Liverpool, Merseyside Police said about 300 people were involved in violent disorder on County Road, Walton, which included community facilities being set on fire.

The Spellow Lane Library Hub, which was opened last year to provide support for one of the most deprived communities in the country, suffered severe damage to the ground floor.

Police said rioters tried to prevent firefighters from accessing the blaze, throwing a missile at the fire engine and breaking the rear window of the cab.

Merseyside Police Inspector Al McKeon said: “The scenes we saw yesterday in Liverpool and Walton, and on Tuesday in Southport, were despicable. They left dozens of officers requiring hospital treatment and have already led to the arrests of a total of 33 suspects.”

Teams worked through the night to reopen streets in cities like Hull, where volunteers armed with brushes turned up from 7am to assist council crews.

“Yesterday we saw the worst of Hull but already today we have seen the best,” councillor Jack Haines of Hull City Council said.