ANTI-RACIST campaigners expressed disgust today after far-right groups blockaded a former army base in west Wales to prevent the arrival of refugees. 

Dozens of campaigners held a “welcome reception” for refugees this morning outside the base at Penally, near Tenby, where the Home Office has proposed housing 250 asylum-seekers. 

But the site has been targeted by the far right twice in the past two weeks, with a small group trying to block the entrance on Monday night. 

Campaigners said that violence had been provoked by a small group of fascists from outside the area who were intent on “sowing division and racism in the community.”

Police said today that a 50-year-old man, not from the local area, had been arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of public-order offences, and that he remained in police custody. 

The surge in far-right activity has met with strong resistance, with hundreds of people attending Stand Up to Racism solidarity rallies in Pembrokeshire in the past two weeks.

Stand Up to Racism West Wales campaigners said that they “warmly welcome refugees” but stressed that a “prison-like” camp is a “completely inappropriate” place to house them. 

Pembrokshire-based activist Patrick Connellan said: “I think there is a lot of work to do in terms of challenging some of the stereotypes and myths of refugees … but I think our main objective is to make anyone who is concerned about the racism much more confident to speak out.” 

Mr Connellan blamed hard-line rhetoric from Tory ministers in response to refugees’ Channel crossings for emboldening the far right. 

“Their policy and attitude for people trying to cross the Channel, the whole fortress Britain approach … has definitely fuelled a lot of this,” he said. 

The Home Office said that it was considering the Penally army base as a potential site to house asylum-seekers because suitable accommodation facilities in south-east England were under strain.