The announcement that 540 asylum seekers would be housed for twelve months at the disused Crowborough Army Training Camp in East Sussex has triggered a wave of protests.
What began as a statutory Home Office duty to provide accommodation for those fleeing war has been transformed into a stage for far‑right mobilisation, with Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne lending legitimacy to the panic.
Temporary solution
Under UK law, the government must provide housing to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. The Crowborough camp, described by Conservative politician Sam Kurtz MS as “filthy” and “unsuitable for long‑term accommodation,” was chosen as a temporary solution.
Yet local protests quickly reframed the issue. Leaflets warned that “the streets will no longer be safe” once “600 men fresh from boat landings” arrived. Placards at rallies declared “Protect Our Children” and “Protect Our Families.” The language was deliberately racialised, presenting asylum seekers as a danger to women and girls.
Invading force
Katy Bourne herself joined one protest, amplifying these claims in a video where she spoke of men arriving “straight off the boats.” This phrase, long used by far‑right agitators, dehumanises migrants and casts them as an invading force.
The protests have become a magnet for organised far‑right groups.
- Liam Tufts, a close associate of Tommy Robinson, addressed crowds with his podcast rhetoric blaming asylum seekers for Britain’s economic decline.
- Marching Boyz, a violent street crew, mobilised supporters from Brighton, Swanley, Orpington and Chelsea. Internal chats revealed coordination with hundreds of followers.
- Pink Ladies, a far‑right women’s group, arrived with placards demanding “British Women First” and “Stop the Boats.”
- Mike Gott, a British Movement activist and convicted criminal with a record of violent assaults, was photographed at the protest.
- Nick Tenconi, UKIP leader who is listed as a speaker at their next event, along with Sarah White, a loud-mouthed, far-right Advance UK Epping organiser last seen in Warsaw at the Polish Independence Day march, drooling over Tommy Robinson.
These figures are not fringe. Their presence in Crowborough underscores how local grievances are exploited to build national momentum.
Bourne’s involvement cannot be separated from her ambitions. Selected as the Conservative candidate for the first Mayor of Sussex election in 2026, she appears to be courting votes by echoing far‑right talking points. Her adoption of the “protect women and girls” trope is particularly cynical.
An open letter from Sussex Violence Against Women and Girls and Stand Up To Racism highlighted the reality: in 2024 Sussex recorded nearly 30,000 domestic abuse cases and 2,000 rapes, with a conviction rate of just 1%.
Weaponised
National data shows most sexual violence is committed by partners, ex‑partners, or family members—not strangers, and certainly not asylum seekers.
When one survivor of stalking challenged Bourne publicly, the PCC’s response was to block her. This silencing of a victim is revealing: women’s safety is invoked only when it can be weaponised against migrants.
At a Wealden District Council meeting, tensions boiled over. Activists distributing fact‑based leaflets were met with hostility, including physical aggression.
Racist abuse was shouted from the floor, and Green MP Rachel Millward required security protection after threats from the crowd.
Failed in duty
The irony is stark. Crowborough had previously welcomed Ukrainian refugees without incident.
Yet the arrival of asylum seekers from other backgrounds has been cast as an existential threat, thanks to the toxic mix of far‑right mobilisation and political opportunism.
By aligning herself with far‑right agitators, Katy Bourne has failed in her duty to counter disinformation and protect vulnerable groups. Instead, she has legitimised racist narratives and deepened divisions in Crowborough.
