Six arrests after Llanelli asylum seekers' hotel fires

The arrests were made during protests over the weekend, police say

Six people have been arrested after two fires broke out during protests at a hotel earmarked for asylum seekers.

Large groups of people gathered outside the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, over the weekend and gained access by pushing down security fences.

Dyfed-Powys Police described the scenes as "another concerning escalation in behaviour".

Police said further arrests were expected.

The Home Office plans to use the hotel to house up to 240 asylum seekers, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has said.

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Supt Ross Evans said police always tried balance people's right to protest peacefully with the rights of others and with preventing crime and disorder.

"However, the behaviour of some individuals has gone far beyond this over the past few days," he said.

Police said officers put out a vehicle fire in the hotel grounds late on Saturday, 30 September. A 48-year-old man from Caerphilly, and two women, aged 53 and 52, from Cleveland and Peterborough, were arrested on suspicion of arson and other offences.

The statement said a planned "drive-by" on Sunday, 1 October at the hotel resulted in several motorcyclists forcing their way through the main entrance, despite officers standing in their way.

A large number of protesters then pushed over security fences and forced their way into the hotel grounds, where some caused damage to the hotel by smashing windows.

Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli is earmarked by the Home Office to house asylum seekers

On Sunday night a fire was reported in a stairwell at the hotel.

At the same time, said police, fireworks and other missiles were fired towards officers while vehicles were moved in an attempt to block access for the Mid and West Wales Fire Service. The fire was extinguished.

A 40-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, both from the Carmarthen area, were arrested on suspicion of arson and a Llanelli man, aged 66, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing emergency services.

Supt Evans said: "These latest arrests come following another concerning escalation in behaviour of some protesters, which has once again resulted in significant damage to the hotel property.

"Dyfed-Powys Police will not tolerate unlawful behaviour - a protest does not provide an excuse to commit criminal offences. Where an offence is committed, we will take all reasonable and proportionate steps to bring offenders to justice."

He added: "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those who have demonstrated peacefully over the past few weeks, and appeal for calm to resume.

"I would also like to thank the team who have dealt with the disorder at the hotel site over the past few days - they have done so in very difficult circumstances."

The fire service said it attended the hotel late on Sunday after police put out the stairwell fire.

Footage shared on social media showed dozens of protesters within the hotel grounds on Sunday, including outside the reception area.