Thousands march in Crowborough over asylum plan for former military camp

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Ben Quinn Political correspondentJanuary 25, 2026 at 05:05 PM

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Thousands marched in Crowborough, East Sussex, to protest the UK government's plan to house up to 500 male asylum seekers at a former military camp. The demonstration, the largest of its kind in the area, was organized in response to the Home Office's initiative to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers, with the Crowborough site being a test case. While many local residents participated, the march also drew far-right activists and groups from other parts of England. Crowborough Shield, a local residents' group, is spearheading a legal challenge against the plans, citing concerns about the impact on the town. The protest highlights strong opposition to the government's asylum housing policy in the community.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Reform UK 40% Callum Barker 40% Lynn Hall ×250% Ben Habib 50% Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Tommy Robinson) 50% East Sussex 60% Advance UK 60% Shabana Mahmood 60% Crowborough Shield 70% UK 70% Home Office 70% Crowborough ×580%

Keywords

asylum seekers 100% protest 90% military camp 80% far-right activists 70% crowborough 60% uk government 60% asylum housing 50% home office 50% legal case 40%