CAMPAIGNERS in Glasgow have called for an inquiry into a stabbing attack they say happened “as a direct result of the dysfunctional UK asylum support and accommodation system.”

On Saturday, several dozen demonstrators gathered in the city’s George Square, exactly one year on from the attack, carried out by 28-year-old Badreddin Abadlla Adam from Sudan.

He was shot dead by police after the incident at the Park Inn Hotel last June, which left six people injured.

Human rights groups say that asylum-seekers were moved en masse to “asylum hotels” abruptly during the height of the pandemic, suggesting that the “unsuitable and unsafe conditions” brought about a widespread decline in mental health among residents.

Glasgow group Refugees For Justice, established after the attack, is calling for an inquiry into the “avoidable tragedy.”

Spokeswoman Pinar Aksu said: “Serious mistakes were made, warnings were ignored and chances to intervene and prevent it happening were missed.”

She added that refugees and asylum-seekers “were abruptly uprooted from their homes and moved en masse to ‘asylum hotels’ at the height of the pandemic.”

Ms Aksu said: “We believe that decision and the living conditions of the people in the hotels played a significant role in setting off this terrible chain of events.”

During the protest, activist Sidratu Bangura told the crowd: “Every one of us has a potential in us. We come here, some of us have been trafficked, some have been violated in our country.

“We are seeking refuge. Guess what? If my country is good why am I here seeking refuge in another man’s land?

“We don’t want to be lazy, to depend on you people, allow us to work, allow us to develop ourselves, to make an impact.”

Earlier this month, the BBC reported there were 200 asylum-seekers still living in hotels across Glasgow.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken told the broadcaster that a ban on accepting new asylum-seekers would continue while the asylum-housing scheme was run “on the cheap” by the housing firm Mears Group, claiming the use of hotels is not appropriate and has gone on too long.

The Home Office has previously defended the measures, saying: “When staying in hotel accommodation, all essential living needs, including three meals a day, healthcare, wifi and TV, are met, which is all paid for by the taxpayer and there is no cost to the individual.”