A video of far-right activists claiming to have "exposed" a hotel "completely overtaken by immigrants" has been labelled as "repugnant".

Members of political party Britain First this month visited a hotel in south Hertfordshire, which is being used to temporarily house Afghan refugees waiting for a permanent home.

The men, women, and children – all of whom supported British forces in Afghanistan or are their families - arrived at the hotel shortly after the Taliban takeover earlier this year and were supported by the local community.

However a video published on October 21 by Britain First claims to have "exposed another hotel housing illegal immigrants" which it said was "crawling with migrant children".

 

In the clip, someone from Britain First quizzes a security guard in the foyer of the hotel before panning the camera onto the children in the background.

The guard is told the filming is a "report for social media", with the Britain First member adding: "I'm doing a report on the plight of immigrants being housed in this hotel."

The video, which has received more than 1,500 shares, later cuts to an interview with Geoff Miles, who is described as the regional organiser for the south east for Britain First.

He said: "This is another large hotel that has been completely overtaken for the use of immigrants.

"It's not bad actually, it's got an indoor swimming pool...but I think people should know there is no pretence anymore. It is totally open to anyone who wants to walk in here and ask questions that this place is used exclusively for the housing of immigrants and for the first time I've seen, it's not just men. It's women and children en masse."

 

Responding to the video, which he described as "repugnant", Bushey Liberal Democrat county councillor Laurence Brass said: "I am aware that a certain group has been targeting some of the hotels where Afghans who fled from Kabul have been temporarily placed pending relocation under the Afghan Resettlement Scheme.

"I am sad that a local hotel has received a visit. I am reassured that the county council has beefed up security at the hotel but I am sorry that such action was needed.

"(Britain First) describe our visitors as 'illegal immigrants' which is totally false. They have all been granted 'Leave to Remain' in recognition of the brave work they performed in Afghanistan for our British soldiers.

"The warm welcome that the delightful Afghani families have received from the community is in marked contrast to the evil comments directed towards them in this video."

Hertsmere Borough Council Conservative leader Cllr Morris Bright says both the police and Home Office are aware of Britain First's visit.

He added: "The Afghan families currently being temporarily housed in hotels in Hertsmere while permanent homes are found for them across the country are here with visas issued by the Government which give them the right to live and work in this county.

"The families were directly involved with assisting this country while we had troops in Afghanistan and helped in ways that saved soldiers' lives in Afghanistan and the Government says made the UK safer from possible terrorist threats too.

"The families I met when I visited the hotels recently were kind, lovely people, with some still deeply upset and traumatised from the truly shocking carnage they witnessed."

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Constabulary said it is "working closely with its partners to monitor the situation".

  • The Observer has removed the name of the hotel visited after concerns were raised about the safety of the families staying there.