Petrol bombs thrown at UK immigration center
SMA NEWS – LONDON
The incident comes with Dover the focal point of British attempts to process asylum seekers.
A man threw petrol bombs attached with fireworks at a new British immigration border force centre in the southern English port of Dover.
The attacker drove up to the centre in a white Seat sports utility vehicle and threw three petrol bombs, one of which did not go off, a Reuters photographer said.
A local MP later said the individual had committed suicide.
Police officers “established that two to three incendiary devices had been thrown into a Home Office immigration premises”, the Kent force said.
They added that “one minor injury has been reported” and the suspect “has been identified and located”.
Police arrived within minutes and cordoned off the area as fire crews put out blazes.
“We are aware of an incident at Western Jet Foil, Dover and police are in attendance,” a Home Office spokesperson said.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tweeted: “There was a distressing incident in Dover earlier today. I am receiving regular updates on the situation.
“My thoughts are with those affected, the tireless Home Office staff and police responding. We must now support those officers as they carry out their investigation.”
The incident on Sunday came with Dover the focal point of British attempts to process asylum seekers and curb the number of people attempting to sail the dangerous English Channel route.
Another 990 migrants arrived in the UK on Saturday after crossing the Channel, government figures show. They then waited in long queues to be processed at the Border Force compound in Dover.
Nearly 40,000 have arrived in the UK so far this year after attempting the treacherous trip from France, crossing one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other small boats.
The number of migrants crossing the English Channel from northern Europe has reached record-breaking figures as people in Britain are experiencing an exceptionally hot summer.
