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A fire at a London hotel housing asylum seekers is being treated as a hate crime and has been condemned as a “despicable and cowardly attack”.<\/p>\n
The blaze at the Thistle City Barbican Hotel, in Dingley Road, Islington, happened at about 22:50 BST on Wednesday, according to the Met Police. No-one was hurt and staff put out the flames before officers arrived.<\/p>\n
The force said it was an isolated incident and it wanted to identify one suspect, while it was keeping an open mind about motive. There have been no arrests.<\/p>\n
Islington Council leader, Una O’Halloran, and local MP Dame Emily Thornberry said: “We utterly condemn this despicable and cowardly attack that has no place in our community or society.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Their statement added: “Islington is a proud beacon of tolerance and diversity that welcomes people from all over the world.”<\/p>\n
Attempts to divide would fail, they said, adding that “this kind of violence can never be the answer”.<\/p>\n
“Anyone who seeks to incite hatred or violence has no place in Islington,” they said.<\/p>\n
The Met Police’s Cdr Hayley Sewart said: “This is being treated as a hate crime and we are working at pace to locate the suspect.”<\/p>\n
The force is appealing for witnesses.<\/p>\n
Nine people were arrested after a protest and counter-protest took place outside the hotel in August.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n