The Newquay that I once knew is being divided

A protest is set to place this weekend at The Beresford Hotel, aimed at destabilising the asylum seekers residing there.

On the surface, it was being painted as “peaceful”, until you take a closer look at the people behind it and the right-wing propaganda that they are peddling.

One of the instigators across social media is Phillip Milo Gregory, who Cornwall Live reported has a number of convictions, including fraud and an attack on a woman.

“The Beresford hotel has a huge place in the history of this town. It is also massively sentimental to me. When I was at my lowest and had nowhere to live, the hotel took me in. It provided me with sanctuary and breathing space and a place to gather my thoughts – the very same things it is offering to those seeking refuge there, and it is unnerving to say the least that this situation is now unfolding”

Calls on social media such as “they came here illegally and are stalking and harassing young women and girls” sound familiar, and they should… because this call to action is a carbon copy of the battle cry we’ve just seen in Liverpool along with the terrifying scenes that followed.

At the Suites Hotel in Knowsley, officers were injured and a police van set alight after asylum seekers were targeted, when footage emerged of a teenage girl being approached and followed by a male who was thought to be living there. While the protest did indeed begin peacefully, it escalated into violence when fireworks were thrown and hammers were used, in scenes described as “a war zone”. It’s frightening to think that same “war zone” could be here.

As unhappy as some people are, this cannot be the way. 

As one Newquay resident told me: “The dividing line is very smudged and continually moving. Most rational people can see the frustration and fear on both sides. There is no doubt that many of the refugees have had harrowing experiences and need to be treated humanely and fairly. There are also sincere concerns in the community about some of the situations that they are causing, maybe due to cultural differences, but definitely making people nervous and agitated.

“Today some of the guys were having a game of football, locals were watching and enjoying the game, this made me feel that integration could work. Last week I walked a young girl home, she was being followed by a few of the refugees, she was scared; this is wrong and I wanted to see those guys punished.”

Newquay Police said on Twitter: “We are aware of speculation on social media about some people not feeling safe in Newquay. The number of reports to police do not reflect this and if you have been affected by specific incidents, we would encourage you to report these to the police.”

The Beresford Hotel has a huge place in the history of this town. It is also massively sentimental to me. When I was at my lowest and had nowhere to live, the hotel took me in. It provided me with sanctuary and breathing space and a place to gather my thoughts – the very same things it is offering to those seeking refuge there, and it is unnerving to say the least that this situation is now unfolding.

For those whom this campaign is targeting, it must be terrifying.

Newquay is a friendly place, but we can’t disguise the fact that many people here are struggling to stay afloat. Yes, the town is beautiful, but you can’t buy food or pay your rent with sunshine and sand, and also many here are homeless or vulnerably housed. With this in mind, it seems madness to house asylum seekers here in the first place when waiting lists are off the chart and so many local people are struggling… vulnerabilities which sadly groups such as Britain First and Reform UK are using to fuel a fire that potentially will keep burning long after these original protests end.

It makes me uneasy, because it feels like a set-up – one that won’t end well anytime soon.

Thankfully on this occasion at least, the protest was indeed “peaceful”… if you disregard the placards, the accusations and the insults along with the general sense of unrest and unease. Maybe it’s because of the large police presence and the fact that those in the pro-refugee corner easily outnumbered the original protestors by roughly three to one.

As a reporter, it’s frustrating when you occasionally have to sit on a story, especially one that you’ve been working on for weeks as you want to get it out there, challenge peoples thoughts and opinions, maybe even spark a debate. However, there are times when it is prudent to show some restraint, especially when you know that tensions are high and that trouble could be brewing.

We felt that this then was one of those times, and although this story was written days before the protest, given that recent similar “peaceful” protests soon became violent, the decision was made to err on the side of caution and to run this feature after the event had taken place.

I’ve also chosen to stay anonymous for this piece. Not because I don’t stand by my words in this story, because I do, 100%. Simply because it puts me at a disadvantage if I’m out in town and someone recognises my face. I’m simply erring on the side of caution, too.