PROTESTERS in Brighton condemned the reopening of a hotel where 136 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been reported missing.

More than 100 people demonstrated outside Brighton Town Hall on Tuesday evening, urging council leaders to make good on their threats to mount a legal challenge against the Home Office’s decision.

In January, it emerged dozens of asylum-seeking children had been kidnapped from the hotel by gangs.

Police had found 12 who went missing from the hotel had been arrested for offences including cannabis farms, with signs that some had been trafficked.

Dozens remain missing and one child, a victim of assault, had allegedly been forced into slavery.

A whistleblower, who works for Home Office contractor Mitie, told the Observer that children were being abducted off the street outside the hotel and bundled into cars.

Speakers from local campaign and solidarity groups Homes Not Hotels, Care4Calais, Radio Calais and Free Iran took part in the protest on Tuesday night.

It ran alongside an open letter to Brighton and Hove City Council which has been signed by 16 local community groups and organisations that work with people seeking asylum in the city.

Hermione Berendt, a member of Homes Not Hotels and a lead volunteer in Brighton for refugee charity Care4Calais, said: “It is horrifying that 50 children are still missing yet the government plans to reopen the very same hotel.

“Tonight shows that the people of Brighton and Hove will not stand for this continued disregard for the safety and protection of asylum-seeking children.

“The government needs to abandon this plan but if they don’t then Brighton and Hove Council needs to step up and start a legal challenge against it.”

Council leader Bella Sankey has said it will consider legal action against the reopening of the hotel.

Lauren Starkey, a Brighton-based social worker and anti-trafficking campaigner, said: “We are heartened by Brighton and Hove City Council’s public condemnation” of the reopening plans, but added: “We as a community must make sure that the city council turns these words into action.”

The Home Office said: “Due to the rise in dangerous small boats crossings, the government has had no alternative but to urgently use hotels to give unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arriving in Britain a roof over their heads.

“The wellbeing of children and minors in our care is an absolute priority and there is 24/7 security at every hotel used to accommodate them.”

The council said it was undertaking legal action in connection with the Home Office’s plans and could not comment further.