Protesters slash tyres and block bus attempting to take asylum seekers to Bibby Stockholm

• Tap above for video report by Will Tullis

The Home Office has criticised the "intimidatory and aggressive" actions of protesters who slashed tyres and blocked a bus to stop asylum seekers being taken to the Bibby Stockholm.

Activists surrounded the vehicle outside the Best Western Hotel in Peckham to stop the asylum seekers' removal to Dorset.

Bikes were also placed under the wheels and protesters formed a human chain around the bus as police arrived.

A Home Office statement said: "This behaviour is intimidatory and aggressive. As part of our commitment to significantly reducing the use of hotels, asylum seekers are being moved into alternative accommodation to reduce costs on the taxpayer.

"We have returned 150 hotels to local communities and we work closely with accommodation providers to manage the exit process in a way which limits the impact on local authorities and asylum seeker."

"Accommodation is allocated to asylum seekers on a no-choice basis and asylum seekers can make representations if they believe they are unsuitable to be moved to the Bibby Stockholm.

"These are considered in full before any decision is made. "We continue to deliver our plans to significantly reduce the use of asylum hotels and work closely with accommodation providers to manage the exit process in a way which limits the impact on local authorities and asylum seekers alike."

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