Three arrested after protest turns violent outside Merseyside hotel

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Three people have been arrested after a protest turned violent outside a hotel a Merseyside housing which is understood to be housing asylum seekers.Hundreds had gathered at the Suites Hotel in Kirkby when Merseyside Police were called to Ribblers Lane at around 6.30pm on Friday to what they said was initially a "peaceful protest and counter protest".However, the demonstration descended into chaos when missiles were thrown and damage was caused.

Footage sent to The ECHO shows people taking what appear to be sledgehammers to a police vehicle. It's reported that a police riot van was vandalised with graffiti before being set alight and exploding.

Police have now confirmed three people have been arrested, describing the scenes as "completely unacceptable".A spokesperson from Merseyside Police said: "A total of three people have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and taken to police stations to be questioned.

Additional officers are in the area to deal with these incidents and ensure the safety of those in the area."We are also taking measures to record the actions of those present to gather further evidence.