IN PHOTOS: 'Stop the boats' as Hundreds join Heywood protest against illegal immigration

Saturday, 9 August 2025 18:08

By David Murphy

A protest march through Heywood on Saturday 9 August 2025 drew hundreds of participants calling for tougher action on illegal immigration and the regulation of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in the borough.

The demonstration, which was heavily policed, focused on opposing illegal immigration by boat, concerns about unchecked migrants living in local HMOs, and perceived links to crime and child grooming. Protesters marched several times through Heywood before concluding outside the office of Heywood and Middleton MP Elsie Blundell.

Among those present was Councillor Jordan Tarrant-Short, the Reform UK councillor for Balderstone and Kirkholt, who was seen front and centre of the march. Former Rochdale Council leader Colin Lambert was also in attendance.

The event remained under a significant police presence, with officers monitoring as the march passed repeatedly through the town centre. The crowd then gathered outside Ms Blundell’s office, where speeches addressed immigration enforcement, housing regulation, and community safety.

A follow-up protest titled Enough is Enough has already been publicised for Saturday 30 August, with organisers planning to gather outside Rochdale Town Hall.