Two men have been banned from an asylum seeker camp after a mass brawl at the military base.
The fight erupted inside the controversial accommodation centre in a sleepy seaside village less than a month after asylum seekers were moved in.
Police were called to the site in Penally, Pembrokshire, on Tuesday afternoon after a fight broke out and arrested two men.
Police were called to the fight which erupted inside the controversial in Penally, Pembrokshire, on Tuesday afternoon
Two men aged 22 and 25 have been banned from the asylum seeker camp following the mass brawl at the camp on Tuesday
A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault.
The former Welsh training camp was chosen by the Ministry of Defence to house around 230 asylum seekers.
But the decision has proved controversial, with dozens of protesters both against and in support of the camp campaigning outside the facility in the holiday village of Penally, near Tenby every weekend.
A group of demonstrators last month welcomed asylum seekers who are being housed in the army barracks in Penally, near Tenby, west Wales, following protests by far right groups
Neighbours spoke out that their 800-population village had been ‘destroyed’ by the Home Office decision and house prices tumbling.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The government takes the wellbeing of asylum seekers and the communities in which they live extremely seriously.
‘We are aware of an incident at the Penally site but it would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.’
Dyfed Powys Police say the arrested men have now been released on bail and banned from entering Pembrokeshire.
Superintendent Anthony Evans said: ‘Two men arrested after a disturbance within the Penally Asylum Accommodation Centre on Tuesday have been released on police bail with the condition not to enter Pembrokeshire.
The former Welsh training camp (pictured) was chosen by the Ministry of Defence to house around 230 asylum seekers. But the decision has proved controversial, with dozens of protesters both against and in support of the camp campaigning outside the facility every weekend
‘The 22-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of affray, and the 25-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assault, will not be returning to the Penally site. Investigations are ongoing.’
It’s not the first time the centre has attracted trouble since the first group of up to 250 male asylum seekers, aged between 18 and 35, were moved into the converted barracks On September 21,
A number of protests took place at the site, with a 50-year-old man arrested on suspicion of public order offences on September 22.
Anti-racism protesters stood outside the camp with welcome placards the following day.
The first group of 250 asylum seekers aged between 18 and 35 were moved into the converted barracks last month
Only last Friday Jane Hutt, deputy minister and chief whip, called on the camp to be closed and described it as the ‘direct opposite’ to human rights needs.
Ms Hutt said: ‘We can be proud of the way our nation has responded to successive refugee crises, providing a warm welcome and opportunities to integrate with our communities.
‘However, the decision by the Home Office to use the Penally military camp as a centre to house asylum seekers is the direct opposite of the Nation of Sanctuary approach.
Dozens of protesters both against and in support of the camp campaig outside the facility in the holiday village of Penally, near Tenby every weekend
‘We believe the use of the camp should end as quickly as possible.
‘The Welsh Government has repeatedly expressed significant concerns about the suitability of the camp at Penally being used to accommodate asylum seekers.
‘The camp does not meet the basic human needs of people seeking a new life in the UK.
‘It places people in accommodation, which is neither designed nor appropriate for long-term use – mainly poorly insulated huts – and risks re-traumatising many vulnerable people who may have been fleeing abuse and torture.
‘We sought a delay to the opening of the camp to ensure plans were put in place with local services to enable them to prepare for the arrival of asylum seekers, particularly to make sure Covid-19 public health measures were in place.
‘The Home Office denied this request and, as a result, proper measures have not been put in place.’