Bibby Stockholm residents speak after anti-immigration protests

The Bibby Stockholm, with a capacity for 500 men, has been docked on Portland for more than a year.

It has proved controversial, with previous residents describing prison-like conditions and locals objecting to its location.

In July, the new Labour government announced they intended to end the barge’s contract and move the residents into alternative accommodation.

“I came here to protect myself from my home country,” said Emmanuel Murugiah, one of the barge’s residents.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Murugiah, 23, said he moved to the UK from Malaysia because he feared persecution as a gay man.

Amid a wave of violent protests targeting immigrants and Muslims around the UK, Mr Murugiah – who is not Muslim – praised the people of Portland.

“I can say the local people are really great compared with London, when I was in London there (were) people who are racist,” he said.

“When I moved to Portland the people are really nice and helping each other if you need anything.”

Mr Murugiah said he had not directly experienced the recent protests, which targeted hotels used to house immigrants, with one in Tamworth set on fire.

The violence, which has seen hundreds of people charged with violent disorder, comes after misinformation saw a Muslim immigrant blamed for the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga event in Southport.

However, Mr Murugiah said life on board the barge was not easy, with other residents targeting him.

He said: “When I came to the barge, there were certain things that happened to me, like bullying, and people trying to target about my gender identity.

“They would be saying ‘why are you guys so soft, why are you like this?’

“I feel so uncomfortable because I already face a lot of problems in my home country.”

Mr Murugiah said he did not feel people on the barge wanted to talk with an LGBTQ person and he would like to move if he could.

Saeed Ahmad, from Pakistan, arrived in the UK 15 months ago, with the last five on the barge, having previously been based in Wales and London.

Mr Ahmad described the recent protests as “not good” but said he had not experienced any issue.

He said: “Actually, the Home Office and our management, they informed us about these activities, and we (stayed in the) barge, we do not go outside.”

He described most of the people he met as “very good, loving, caring”, while acknowledging some people were racist.

Mr Ahmad did not wish to discuss what had brought him to the UK, saying it was a “religious case”.

He described the accommodation as “not bad” for a short time, but not for extended periods of time, with small rooms and residents unable to go outside without taking a bus.

He said: “The food is not bad, average, our room is not bad, average, and staff is very good, no doubt.”

Mr Ahmad was highly critical of the medical system on board the vessel.

He said: “I want to say that the medical system is not good, very, very bad medical system.

“(In) my own experience, I met with doctor on the barge, they don’t care, they don’t see carefully. The medical system is not good.”

Mr Murugiah and Mr Ahmad are among a number of residents to have taken part in art classes at a local community centre, with their work set to be displayed in a festival next month.

The class is designed to encourage both artistic expression and personal connection, and serves as a form of therapy while also helping foster bonds with the community.

Their work will be showcased as part of Portland island’s annual “b-side” festival.

The festival runs from September 5 to 8.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “As part of the Government’s commitment to clear the backlog and fix the asylum system, the contract for the Bibby Stockholm is ending in January.

"We take the health and wellbeing of asylum seekers seriously and at every stage in the process will seek to ensure that all needs and vulnerabilities are identified and considered, including those related to mental health and trauma.”