Thousands
march in Crowborough over asylum plan for former military camp
Protesters
walk to Sussex market town from base where Home Office plans to house up to 500
asylum seekers
Ben Quinn
Political correspondent
Sun 25
Jan 2026 11.05 EST
Thousands
of people have marched through an East Sussex market town to protest against UK
government plans to house asylum seekers on a former military site.
Crowds of
men, women and children walked to Crowborough from the base, where the Home
Office plans to house up to 500 male asylum seekers as part of plans to end the
use of hotels for the same purpose.
While
those taking part included many people from the town and surrounding area,
far-right activists and groups from other parts of England also sought to make
their presence felt, in the latest and largest demonstration of its kind in the
area.
The plans
have attracted strong opposition in the town after the first asylum seekers
were moved in last week, in what is a test case for emerging government policy.
Crowborough
Shield, which describes itself as a non-political, voluntary residents’ group,
is spearheading a legal case against the plans and took part in the march. It
has accused the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, of “threatening” the town and
other sites around the country with asylum housing plans.
Amid a
sea of union jacks and Saint George’s flags, those who had journeyed in for the
march from another part of Sussex included Lynn Hall, who described herself as
an “ordinary concerned mother of two”.
“I feel
really emotional about this because this was a site that was used by young
cadets and now it is they who have been displaced,” she told the Guardian.
“People have real concerns here about this and it’s about the unaccompanied
young men who will be living here. I’m not hardline, I’m not political and I
don’t want to be against anybody but I feel strongly.”
Like
others in the crowd, Hall was carrying a flag emblazoned with the logo of
Advance UK, a hard-right political party set up by the former MEP Ben Habib
after splitting from Reform UK and which has drawn support from the far-right
activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, AKA Tommy Robinson. Hall was surprised to be
told this, adding that she was unaware of the group’s background.
Earlier,
those who took turns to stand behind a “Crowborough says no” banner during the
march on Sunday morning was Callum Barker, a former activist with the far-right
Homeland party, who was an organiser of protests outside the Bell Hotel in
Essex during the summer.
Also
present were activists from the Operation Raise the Colours movement, including
some who were banned last week by French authorities over plans to engage in
activities on the French coast.
The march
snaked its way in from the former military base, past the home of Helen and
John Tate, a lawyer, former senior civil servant in the Home Office and deputy
parliamentary ombudsman. “As far as the Home Office is concerned we have no say
in the matter. The local MP [Nusrat Ghani] has tried to do her best by
organising meetings, but it has gone ahead,” he said.
But for a
bad knee, his wife said, she would have joined the march. “I think it’s a good
thing as it really does show the extent of local opposition,” she said,
although both she and her husband were concerned that the presence of far-right
activists could “aggravate” the situation.
About 27
men have been housed at the camp so far. Crowborough is one of two military
sites the government announced last year it would use to house asylum seekers,
along with Cameron Barracks in Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
Those
taking part in the march followed behind a banner, preceded by a car blaring
techno, bearing a crucifix and emblazoned with rightwing slogans as well as
images of three young girls murdered in Southport. The crowd took part in
chants of “Keir Starmer is a wanker” and in some cases “Keir Starmer is a
traitor”.
No
arrests had yet taken place on Sunday, according to Sussex police. Ch Supt
James Collis said: “We know that the use of the Crowborough training camp for
asylum accommodation has caused concern within the community. Our police
presence has been increased in Crowborough and the surrounding area to provide
a clear point of contact for the public for engagement and reassurance.”
Three
people were arrested on Saturday after disorder outside Crowborough camp. A
36-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman from Crowborough and a 54-year-old man
from Newhaven were detained on suspicion of an offence under the Public Order
Act.
On a
visit to Crowborough on Thursday, the home secretary vowed to defend any legal
challenge “vigorously” amid news that the local authority, Wealden district
council, was also considering action. Mahmood told broadcasters: “I understand
the strength of feeling but I do also believe that getting out of asylum hotels
is absolutely crucial for the country.”
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