'Love not hate' - counter protest to anti-immigration demonstration held in Oswestry
A counter protest against an 'anti-immigration' demonstration was staged in Oswestry this weekend.
Around 60 residents braved heavy rain on Saturday afternoon (September 20) to stage a counter-protest in Oswestry town centre, opposing a demonstration tied to plans for HMO accommodation in the town, that was taking place at the same time.
The counter-protest ran from 1pm to 2.30pm and was held in response to a separate protest, attended by several people who were seen waving Union flags.
Counter protesters held a large banner that read: "Love not hate - we grow as one".
The 'anti-immigration' protest came after a controversial scheme to turn a former Oswestry hotel into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) was rejected.
Jassy Sindu of Your Property Ventures put forward a proposal to convert the former Smithfield Hotel on Salop Road into a 22-bed HMO.
Planning officers had recommended the scheme for approval, highlighting that the building was currently unused, located in a sustainable area, and could offer lower-cost housing within the town.
However, last Tuesday (September 16), Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee voted to turn it down.
Police officers were present at both demonstrations in Oswestry. But, organisers of the counter protest said the events passed without any "incidents or aggression".
Among those at the counter-protest was Oswestry resident Jon Lill, who praised the turnout and tone of the event.
"It was great to see Oswestry people coming out in the rain today with a message of hope," he said.
"We had good conversations with the anti-immigration protesters and there was lots we agreed on - the damage done to Oswestry by decades of austerity, and the fact that the real enemy aren't the people who come on small boats but the billionaires who fly over us in private jets.
"We believe Oswestry is a town that is welcoming and caring to everyone who comes here, and as a community, we are stronger when we stand together against those who want to divide us."
