WALES is a nation of sanctuary, which will not welcome hard-right agitators using Penally camp as cause to target, First Minister Mark Drakeford said today, September 22.

He made the comments at today’s September 22 Senedd plenary following angry scenes in Penally overnight as asylum seeker protestors clashed with police at the entrance to the village's army camp.

Police have said body-cam and social media footage is being scrutinised following the clashes.

Angela Burns MS, raising concerns about the suitability of south Pembrokeshire’s infrastructure for such a facility, described the “shocking scenes at Penally with elements from away” during today’s plenary.

“These are not Pembrokeshire people; Pembrokeshire people are warm and welcoming. These were absolutely shocking scenes, people bussed in with their own shocking agenda.”

Mrs Burns asked what support would be made available to support local authorities, only to be told the First Minister’s calls to the Home Office had been answered by a junior member of staff, with very little offered.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “A military camp is not a suitable place to house people who have fled conflicts in other parts of the world.

“I asked for a two-week delay in the plan in order that proper planning and proper services be put in place, unfortunately the reply denied that request.”

He added: “The Home Office will not supply additional funding in any way, a blanket refusal for either Pembrokeshire County Council or Hywel Dda.”

Referring to the “ugly scenes of 100s of people protesting” on Monday night, he said: “Wales is a nation of sanctuary, when there are people who, through no fault of their own, arrive in Wales we want to make sure they are welcomed. The way the Home Office has gone about it makes it far more difficult than it needs to have been.

“The general approach needs rapidly to improve to avoid the scenes of last night.”

Following shock at the scenes, expressed by Helen Mary Jones MS, the First Minister added:

“I think one of the most disturbing features of the whole episode is the way the Home Office handling of it has led to Tenby being a target for hard-right extremist groups from right across the UK who’ve heard about this and think this is a cause they can latch onto and exploit.

“These people are not welcome in Wales and I hope we will be in a position for the police to take action to make sure they cannot influence the sentiments and they understand their presence in this is not welcomed by us.”