London asylum hotel blaze treated as hate crime, police seek suspect
Islington leaders condemn attack at Thistle City Barbican; investigation continues with motive undetermined
A fire at the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, London, which houses asylum seekers, is being treated as a hate crime, police said. The blaze occurred at about 22:50 BST on Wednesday, and no one was harmed as hotel staff extinguished the flames before officers arrived. The Metropolitan Police described the incident as isolated and said they are working to identify one suspect, with motive not yet known; there have been no arrests.
Islington Council leader Una O'Halloran and local MP Dame Emily Thornberry condemned the attack, calling it "despicable and cowardly" and saying Islington is a beacon of tolerance and diversity. They added that attempts to incite hatred or violence would fail and that anyone who seeks to incite hatred has no place in Islington.
The Met Police said the investigation is being treated as a hate crime and that officers are "working at pace to locate the suspect." They asked anyone with information to come forward to help identify witnesses.
Nine people were arrested after a protest and counter-protest outside the hotel in August; police did not indicate a connection to the current incident, but authorities emphasized vigilance around the site.
The Thistle City Barbican Hotel is located on Dingley Road in Islington. Investigators said the fire remains under active inquiry, and they are maintaining inquiries across the local area while appealing for information from anyone who saw anything around the time of the blaze.