When police and protestors clashed on Friday to prevent the removal of asylum seekers from a London hotel, ten individuals were taken into custody.

After hearing that residents of Driscoll House in New Kent Road, Southwark, were to be transferred to the Bibby Stockholm barge, crowds gathered there starting at 7 a.m.

Following the cancellation of earlier attempts to relocate people due to protests, dozens of Met police officers were stationed at the hotel.

Campaigners shouted “here to stay, here to fight” and “refugees are welcome here”.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “ Police responded to a protest in New Kent Road where ten people were arrested on suspicion of preventing access or preventing people from leaving a site.

“All remain in police custody.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have been clear protestors should do so in a peaceful manner and not in a way which could potentially disrupt our day-to-day operations.

“The police have our full support in using their powers to tackle disorder at protests.

“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.”

Driscoll House has been a temporary home to hundreds of asylum seekers since 2021, but safety concerns have been raised about the building.

Southwark & Lambeth Anti-Raids said at least five people were removed and taken to the barge in Dorset on Friday.The protest group helped rally people for the large demonstration in Peckham earlier this month, in which 45 people were arrested.

Officers there clashed with crowds attempting to stop a coach leaving for the Bibby Stockholm.

Activists surrounded the bus at a hotel around 8.40am on Thursday May 4 and its tires were let down.

At about the 3pm it was forced to leave without any asylum seekers on board.

The Bibby Stockholm has been accommodation since last August as ministers sought to find alternatives to costly hotels while migrants await decisions on their asylum applications.

But the vessel has been plagued with issues, including an outbreak of Legionella bacteria on board.

In December it was confirmed that one of the people on board had died, with reports suggesting he had taken his own life.

In February, MPs warned "claustrophobic" conditions on board could amount to a breach of asylum seekers' human rights.