A FAR-RIGHT group is planning to stage a protest in an Ayrshire village after a local hotel opened its doors to refugees described by protesters as "secret, dark-skinned African males".
The Scottish Defence League said it was holding the static demonstration in Monkton on November 15 after being approached by local residents unhappy that some 150 asylum seekers were being given emergency accommodation at the nearby Adamton Country House Hotel.
The rural premises, situated in 19.5 acres of private land, belongs to the Britannia Hotel group which has previously housed refugees at some of its hotels in England, paid for by the Home Office.
It is the first time one of the chain's Scottish hotels has been used.
Posting details of the rally on Facebook, the group said: "Large gangs of these young Muslim men are gathering in the village and local women and young girls have said they feel scared and intimidated. A source who works in the hotel has told us that they get three meals a day and a daily cash allowance."
In a separate post, referring to pictures in the Ayrshire Post, the group added: "As you can see these are not the light skinned Arab Syrian refugees that the government has agreed to take from the refugee camps, who are security checked, these are extra, secret, dark skinned African males, the type who arrive in the country illegally from Calais and destroy their documents so their is no way to check if they have been murderers, rapists or paedophiles in their own country."
The article included quotes from one refugee, who said he had fled from Ethiopia.
Ryan Smith, spokesman for the SDL, said the protest was not racially motivated.
He said: "We are in a strong position to oppose the ones at Adamton hotel because they are fleeing from countries that there's no war in, they've gone through numerous safe African countries to get to Europe, and numerous safe European countries to get to the UK. There is no racial undertone in 'light-skinned' and 'dark-skinned', it's just emphasising the clear difference between genuine refugees from Syria and the ones who are economic migrants, country-shopping for the best deal on benefits."
Smith said they expected a turnout of at least 100 protesters, including up to 70 local residents.
"What's really pissed off the locals is that they weren't consulted about this, they didn't have a say in this."
He added that the SDL had been contacted people in Penicuik who wanted them to hold a protest at a block of flats being renovated for Syrian refugees, but refused.
"Our government has agreed to take them, these are genuine refugees, so we're powerless to act against that," he said.
Gary Christie, head of policy at Scottish Refugee Council said: "It's incredibly depressing to hear people use racist and aggressive language in an attempt to stir up hatred against others.
"The SDL seems very frightened of refugees but they can be assured that the people we work with every day are very ordinary folk. Refugees are not people to be scared of or to protest against, they are just ordinary mums, dads, sons and daughters who happen to have gone through hell in their lives.
"While groups like the SDL stir up racial hatred we've been overwhelmed by offers of support for people seeking safety here."
Eileen Howat, chief executive of South Ayrshire Council, said: “The accommodation and support of asylum seekers within the UK is a matter for the Home Office – not the local authority. "However, we are aware that the Home Office has placed a number of asylum seekers within our local area on a short-term basis."
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed they were aware of plans by the SDL, adding that the event "will be policed accordingly".
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