Photo credit: BBC
Many residents protested at a site which is to be used to house unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UAS) in Kent.
BBC reports that Kent County Council (KCC) recently approved plans for the reception centre at Edward Moore House, Trinity Road, Gravesend.
Protesters said they were unhappy with KCC’s lack of consultation and that the centre was in the wrong location.
However, the council said it was legally obligated to accommodate UAS children.
One of the protesters, Baljinder Singh, said, “It could have been slightly out of town.””We ae not saying don’t accommodate them, this just isn’t the area.”
Jernail Oowar said, “We feel strongly about this because we weren’t asked, we were told.”
Janice Bass added, “We knew nothing about this at all until all the security fences went up.”
Many of the unaccompanied children have fled war and persecution from other countries and have often risked their lives to reach the UK.
KCC’s director of integrated children’s services, Sarah Hammond, said the council had been in “regular communication with local residents.”
