Huge migrant protest erupts as left wing counter protesters silenced by crowd

A sea of pink filled Whitehall on Wednesday as hundreds of demonstrators called on the Prime Minister to "get a grip" and make women's safety a priority. The Pink Ladies, a protest group formed after a series of attacks by asylum seekers living in hotels, marched from Parliament Square to Downing Street. Dressed head-to-toe in pink - which they say symbolises hope - the women waved British flags while dancing and singing to "I Will Survive." They were met by counter-demonstrators from Stand Up to Racism, who carried placards reading "women against the far right."

Police kept the groups apart as counter-protesters accused the Pink Ladies of seeking "to spread racist hate and division." The demonstration was organised by mothers from Epping, where the controversial Bell Hotel houses asylum seekers. Speakers included Susan Hall, leader of the Conservative group on the London Assembly, and Lucy Connolly, recently released from prison over comments she made after last year's Southport killings.

Ms Connolly urged Sir Keir Starmer to "listen to the people that voted him in." She told the Express: "It's really hard to stand up for what you believe in at the minute when you're being called names like a racist, a bigot and a far-right thug. It's quite clear these ladies are none of those things, they're just standing up for their children."

Another speaker declared: "Keir Starmer, I will not allow you to come between us and our children." Ms Connolly responded: "Unfortunately, he was able to do that to me and I don't want that to happen to anybody else."

The crowd included mothers, grandmothers and concerned Britons, including Karen MacIver, who said: "Common sense needs to prevail. They're putting undocumented men in communities and we don't know who they are, and that's the concern."

Natalie Oliver also appealed to the Prime Minister to "put the safety of our children and our women first." She added: "The situation we find ourselves in is one that is fearful for them."

Home Office data shows the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels rose 8% in the year to August, reaching 32,059. A further 66,234 asylum seekers are living in houses, flats and bedsits, up from 61,778 last year.

The Women's Safety Initiative (WSI) joined the protest. Its founder, Jess Gill, said the issue has been "stigmatised, and women have suffered the consequence of that." She told the Express: "This is the biggest issue facing women. We're here as we've all had experiences of this, our safety has been compromised."

A new WSI report revealed that 1,539 schools are within a 20-minute walk of asylum accommodations, with 393 located just 10 minutes away.

Grace Hunter, WSI's regional leader for Greater London, urged Sir Keir to "get a grip." She said: "It's all very good sitting in his palace of gold... but he needs to see that women in this country need to be taken seriously. He's already a laughing stock of the world."

Pink Ladies organiser Orla Minihane criticised those who joined counter-demonstrators from Stand Up to Racism. "How can you come and try to shame mothers and grandmothers because they want to protect their children? It has nothing to do with race."

On Monday, the Prime Minister said the government is "looking at alternative accommodation and doing everything we can to bring forward the closure of asylum hotels."

Earlier this week, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced Labour's new plans requiring migrants to prove they contribute to society before being granted permanent residency. Under the proposals, indefinite leave to remain would depend on paying national insurance, being self-sufficient without benefits, maintaining a clean criminal record, volunteering in the community, and demonstrating a high standard of English.