PEOPLE protested today against plans to turn a former RAF base near York into an asylum seekers reception centre - after a petition against the scheme had attracted more than 3,000 signatures.

The small demonstration was staged outside Linton on Ouse village hall and involved about a score of people from the village and further afield.O.ne carried a placard urging the Government to stop the Linton on Ouse project and 'all asylum expansions.'

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said before the demonstration that the force was aware of the planned activity and its officers would be in the area to provide reassurance to the local community, but The Press saw no officers today.

Megan Remmer, clerk to Linton on Ouse Parish Council, said the demonstration was not affiliated in any way with the council and nor did it support it.

"It is also, as far as we aware, not affiliated with anyone from the village," she said.

"While we obviously cannot speak on behalf of every resident of Linton, those we have spoken to do not feel this is the appropriate manner to oppose the proposed siting of the Asylum Seekers Centre. 

"We have removed mentions of it on social media where we can in the hope that it can be kept to a minimum."

Representatives of a village group campaigning against the air base plans have issued a statement this evening claiming that today's protest was organised by people who were not residents of Linton.

They claimed several 'far-right groups' had been invited to the protest, members of which made up the majority of the small number of protestors present, having travelled to Linton from the wider region.

It said: "The gathering was not obviously a protest and was not directed at anyone. There was no message: there were no speeches, no placards, no banners.

"For under an hour, protestors chatted to one another and filmed each other on their mobile phones. They then dispersed."

It claimed only one resident of Linton was present at the protest and the remainder of the village rejected it and refused to participate. T"he village also objects, in the strongest possible terms, to the presence of far-right groups on their streets."

Meanwhile, an anonymous online petition, Stop Linton on Ouse Asylum Centre, had gathered 3,015 signatures by this lunchtime.

It said the UK Government had recently announced that Linton on Ouse would house an Asylum Reception Centre, holding a minimum of 1,500 single adult males who had travelled to the UK illegally from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan.

"Based on latest electoral figures, Linton on Ouse has an adult population of circa 700," it said.

"Such centres have been heavily criticised in the past, with court's ruling the site at Napier Barracks and Pennaly Barracks not fit for purpose, resulting in arson, violence, poor mental health amongst refugees, suicide attempts, COVID outbreaks and anti social behaviour. 

"Furthermore, the site saw protests by right wing parties resulting in a number of arrests and additional policing. Such sites are not beneficial to either the asylum seekers or the general population. Despite this, a new site has been sanctioned to open in Linton on Ouse and on a much larger scale. 

It said local refugee charities had objected to the site location, stating a rural area was not conducive to a positive experience and could cause additional stress on asylum seekers due to a lack of access to services and amenities.

It also said the centre would be open door and its residents  would be free to roam. "The Home Office and North Yorkshire Police understands how intimidating this can be for females and the elderly given the large volume, minimum 1500, and small village population, 800."