Appendix 2 - Incident and Communication Timeline - Anti-Asylum Protests
Perth and Kinross Council · 26 November 2025
Back to Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee — 26 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Appendix 2 Asylum Hotel Protest Incidents Timeline (with communication responses in bold): Thursday 24 July 2025 – made aware of notification on social media of a planned public gathering to discuss “peaceful protests” as the organiser claimed that “the hotels in Perth being full of illegal/unvetted immigrants” and “they’re seemingly adding more illegals to the hotels” Thursday 24 July 2025 - 9.10 p.m. incident in Station Hotel member of public entering without authorisation and assaulted security guard when asked to leave Friday 25 July 2025 – unauthorised filming of both hotels – Queen’s Hotel internally and Station Hotel externally Friday 25 July 2025 – misinformation being spread via social media/private chat groups claiming that the number of asylum seekers in the area was due to double. Elected Member Briefing Note issued and added to website for reference setting out factual position. Monday 28 July 2025 – staff article on intranet advising on issues to be aware of if considering taking part in public gathering/future protests. Wednesday 30 July 2025 – Public gathering held in public area at North Muirton to plan for “peaceful protests” of hotels in Perth accommodating people seeking asylum (approx. 50 reported in attendance) Tuesday 5 August 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note issued and added to website providing an update on the outcome of the public gathering and what is known about plans for protests for the weekend and potential impact on other weekend events. Wednesday 6 August 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note issued and added to website providing further information on planning for protests. Friday 8 August 2025 – staff news article refreshed to remind employees of responsibilities under Employee Code of Conduct ahead of protest. Saturday 9 August 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note issued and added to website providing further details of what is known about the protests. Saturday 9 August 2025 – Anti Asylum Protest and Perth Against Racism Counter Protest held outside hotels (approx. 200 reported in attendance) – no criminality reported or arrests made Saturday 9 August 2025 – CASA young person questioned by bus driver over validity of his bus pass ID (never happened before) Saturday 9 August 2025 – CASA young person told “to go back to where you come from” from by the same person twice
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2 Monday 11 August 2025 – anonymous phone call received at Wellbank House asking “why do you house illegal immigrants in your establishment” Monday 11 August 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not made public) providing information on what happened at Saturday’s protest. Wednesday 13 August 2025 – Web page created on www.pkc.gov.uk providing clarity on PKC role in asylum seekers housed in hotels locally. Wednesday 13 August 2025 – misinformation/disinformation being circulated on social media/messaging chats claiming PKC had confirmed additional hotels/locations for asylum seekers. Social media post issued highlighting that this was fake and encouraging people to check sources. Elected Member Briefing Note issued asking for support to share accurate information. Friday 22 August 2025 – joint political leaders statement reaffirming Council’s commitment to Council of Sanctuary, issued on website, to media, social media and on staff intranet. Friday 22 August 2025 – majority of Councillor representatives on Perth and Kinross Community Safety and Justice Partnership issued joint statement criticising protests as negatively impacting community safety, issued on website, social media and to media. Friday 22 August 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Saturday 23 August 2025 – Anti Asylum Protest and Perth Against Racism Counter Protest held in Railway Station Car Park (approx. 450 reported in attendance) – no criminality reported or arrests made Saturday 23 August 2025 – CASA young person had egg thrown at him in the city centre Saturday 23 August 2025 – CASA young person verbally abused and threatened at The Bank Monday 25 August 2025 – coach at Friendly Welcome football for asylum seekers and refugees received comments from passerby when turning up in car park before programme started “where’s our free coaching why are they getting it” Tuesday 26 August 2025 – damage to lock of bike storage unit for hotel residents reported (no definitive time for when incident occurred) Tuesday 26 August 2025 – 7 Saltire flags reported on lampposts in Primrose Cresent/Pullar Terrace area of Perth (reported as removed on 22 September) Wednesday 27 August 2025 – “Migrants Go Home” graffiti reported in South Inch Tunnel (removed on 28 August)
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3 Wednesday 27 August 2025 - female outside Station Hotel with two Union Jack flags with male recording her for social media content Thursday 28 August 2025 – noise complaints received by Environmental Health about Perth Mosque from fake name – investigation ongoing to verify whether complaint is malicious or genuine Monday 1 September 2025 – police made aware of someone gaining unauthorised access to Station Hotel Thursday 4 September 2025 – unauthorised filming reported outside Station Hotel Monday 8 September 2025 – unauthorised filming of Monday night football session (Friendly Welcome football for asylum seekers and refugees) as participants arrived Tuesday 9 September 2025 – Saltire flags reported on lampposts in Craigie area Wednesday 10 September 2025 – planned protest outside 2 High Street – subsequently cancelled Thursday 11 September 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Monday 15 September 2025 – unauthorised filming and attempted entry to Station Hotel and unauthorised entry to Queen’s Hotel Monday 22 September 2025 – Saltire flags reported in Coupar Angus (removed) Wednesday 24 September 2025 – Perth Minorities Association reported online abuse from Anti-Asylum Protest organiser on their Facebook page Friday 26 September 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Friday 26 September 2025 – Poster reported on bus stop (outside Broxden Dental Surgery) promoting Anti Asylum protest (reported by Elected Member and removal arranged) Saturday 27 September 2025 - Anti Asylum Protest and Perth Against Racism Counter Protest held in Railway Station Car Park and opposite Queen’s Hotel (approx. 150 reported in attendance) – no criminality reported or arrests made Monday 29 September 2025 – PKC Street Lighting team reported verbal abuse and unauthorised filming of 2 staff when removing Saltire flags from lampposts in Bute Drive last week Wednesday 1 October 2025 – social media misinformation about use of former Kilgraston School to house people seeking asylum – PKC statement of clarification issued on social media
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4 Friday 3 October 2025 – report of fire-raising incident in car park of Station Hotel earlier in week – may be anti-social behaviour rather than targeted - investigation ongoing Friday 3 October 2025 – Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Saturday 4 October 2025 - Anti Asylum Protest and Perth Against Racism Counter Protest held in Railway Station Car Park (approx. 250 reported in attendance) – no criminality reported or arrests made Tuesday 7 October 2025 – Saltire flags reported at Newhouse Road (originally 4 but 3 removed) in Perth (on lampposts) and at Abbey Road Auchterarder bridge over A9 Wednesday 8 October 2025 – Union flag reported at Darnhall Crescent Perth (on streetlights) Friday 10 October 2025 – reports of increased racial abuse being experienced by local taxi drivers from black and minority ethnic communities Friday 10 October 2025 – report of Station Hotel resident (person seeking asylum) being verbally abused on South Inch Friday 10 October 2025 - Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Saturday 11 October 2025 - Anti Asylum Protest and Perth Against Racism Counter Protest held in Railway Station Car Park (approx. 70 reported in attendance) – no criminality reported or arrests made Monday 13 October 2025 – “Kill All Blacks” graffiti with swastikas and “KKK” reported in Moncreiffe area of Perth (removed on 13 October) Wednesday 15 October 2025 – online Council post and media release with photo of Councillors promoting the upcoming Show Racism the Red Card Wear Red Day alongside Council of Sanctuary banner Wednesday 15 October 2025 – online rumour that anti-asylum protestors were planning a city centre march from the North Inch this weekend (led by group called Pink Ladies) Thursday 16 October 2025 – clarified with Legal Services that no public procession request had been received from anti-asylum protestors – advised that it was an operational police decision whether march was allowed to proceed Friday 17 October 2025 - police advised that if march was a walk on pavements without road closures they would dynamically police it on the day Friday 17 October 2025 - Elected Member Briefing Note circulated (not public) Friday 17 October 2025 – social media post issued advising public of the possibility of a city centre anti-asylum march
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5 Saturday 18 October 2025 – anti-asylum protest march took place through city centre (approx. 100 reported in attendance) with counter protest outside hotels Friday 24 October 2025 – police issued statement that a person had been charged with holding a prohibited procession (i.e. without the proper permission) Home Office definitions: • Misinformation (False information shared without intent to harm) • Disinformation (False information shared with intent to deceive) • Malinformation (True information used maliciously)