Red doors of asylum seekers invite abuse
Print Edition
Britain’s interior ministry yesterday said it will probe asylum-seeker housing in northeastern England after complaints that the properties’ red doors identify them as targets for abuse.
The announcement follows an investigation by The Times newspaper into properties run by Jomast, a subcontractor for security giant G4S, which provides asylum accommodation in the town of Middlesborough.
Local asylum seekers told The Times they had been verbally abused and had their properties vandalised.
“I am deeply concerned by this issue and I have commissioned Home Office officials to conduct an urgent audit of asylum-seeker housing in the northeast,” said immigration minister James Brokenshire.
“If we find any evidence of discrimination against asylum seekers it will be dealt with immediately as any such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
The Times identified 168 properties run by Jomast, 155 of which had red front doors. It contacted the residents of 66 properties, 62 of whom were asylum seekers.
“When people see [the red doors], everyone knows it means asylum seekers,” said one man whose house was vandalised.
G4S said there was “categorically no ... policy to house asylum seekers behind red doors” and that it had ordered Jomast to repaint some of the doors.
But local resident Suzanne Fletcher said the issue had been raised for four years.
“In September 2012 we asked G4S if they would do something about the red doors and they replied that they had no intention of doing anything about it,” she told BBC radio.
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