Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel

Hundreds of people attended the protests against the use of a hotel to house asylum seekers

Hundreds of people gathered to protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

Many arrived at the hotel in the Norwich area with St George's flags, placards and banners, some reading "Stop the invasion".

BBC journalist Alex Dunlop estimated there were about 350 to 400 anti-immigration protesters and roughly 150 counter-protesters at the scene.

He said it was largely peaceful but noisy, with a "strong police presence".

About 60 police officers were at the scene of the protest

About 60 police officers attended while protesters, some standing in the road, listened and cheered a number of speeches delivered from the back of a parked lorry.

Anti-immigration demonstrators were heard chanting "We want our country back" and "Stop the invasion".

Protesters began gathering before the event started at 14:00 BST.

Speeches ended at about 15:30 and the crowd began to disperse.

Norfolk Police said the event concluded peacefully with no arrests made.

Glen Saffer, one of the organisers, said: "It's what we wanted - a peaceful demonstration.

"We are here as a community to shut this place down."

He said he was not against all immigration, and that the protesters were not racist.

"I agree we 100% want legal people in this country. If they wanted to be doctors and nurses, we welcome them in," he said.

Protester Josh Ampleford, 21, who lives in the area, said the turnout had been "very good" and "impressive."

Cindy Wilson, who also lives nearby, said she regularly attended protests in London and came "to save our children."

Pro-immigration counter-protesters approached by the BBC declined to speak.

Speakers addressed the crowd from a lorry parked at the scene

An estimated 350-400 protesters gathered outside the hotel

A police spokesman said that evidence gatherers were deployed as part of the policing operation and that all footage would be reviewed.

Supt Wes Hornigold said: "We would like to thank the public for their understanding today, particularly during some short periods of disruption whilst groups were exercising their rights to peaceful protest.

"We had a number of officers on duty to ensure the safety of everyone involved and to facilitate the protest."

Police officers stood in front of the protesters, some of whom spilled into the road

On Monday, about 150 protesters gathered outside a hotel in Diss, Norfolk, housing asylum-seeking families in protest against Home Office plans to house single adult males there instead.

Two men were arrested on Saturday morning on suspicion of affray in relation to a protest at the Diss hotel and an earlier one at the hotel in the Norwich area.

Rival groups have also clashed outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, during several demonstrations since 13 July.

Ten people have been charged with offences in relation to disorder there.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Since taking office, we have taken immediate action to fix the asylum system and have started closing down hotels and removing more than 35,000 people with no right to be here.

"While the public have a right to protest against the current situation, we will never tolerate unlawful or violent behaviour.

"Working closely with the police, we have thorough and well-tested contingency plans in place to deal with any public disorder, which have been strengthened since last year's shameful scenes."

About 150 counter-protesters attended in support of asylum seekers

Protesters began to disperse at about 15:30 BST