Houses of multiple occupation in Greater Manchester targeted with pig’s head and ‘stop the boats’ graffiti

Houses of multiple occupation (HMO) in Greater Manchester have been targeted with a pig’s head and graffiti reading “Stop the Boats”.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has received 49 reports of criminal damage to houses or flats, many with smashed windows and doors, often daubed in paint with the words “No HMO”.

Detectives from GMP have made three arrests and suggested young people are being exploited by adults to carry out the attacks.

Politicians across the region and the political spectrum condemned the latest vandalism on Thursday.

Overnight between October 20 and 21, criminals targeted four properties in Stalybridge, Dukinfield and Denton in Tameside, east of Manchester.

This follows earlier attacks on HMOs, beginning on October 5, with more than 40 reports of criminal damage in Salford, west of the city.

Tameside Council issued a joint statement, signed by local party leaders from Labour, Reform UK, the Conservatives and the Independent Group.

The statement said: “We stand completely united in a message to the public: acts of criminality, violence, aggression, and intimidation in Tameside will not be tolerated and are entirely unacceptable in our borough or indeed anywhere.”

The statement continued: “Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home, and there is absolutely no place for fear or hostility in our communities.

“Those who choose to engage in this behaviour do not speak for the people of Tameside, and their actions counter the values of safety, respect, and unity that define our towns.

“We want to reassure all residents that we are working closely together, and in direct partnership with Greater Manchester Police.”

Detectives from GMP said three men, aged 46, 39, and 33, have all been arrested and bailed.

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Chief Superintendent Marcus Noden of GMP, said: “We recognise that the spread of damage to properties across Greater Manchester will be worrying for people living in the areas affected.

“I want to reiterate that we are taking this spate of damage extremely seriously and are continuing to relentlessly target offenders, including those who we believe are using and exploiting children to orchestrate the criminality.

“Today’s action means three people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage this week, and I hope it sends a strong message that anyone involved in this offending will be made to answer for their actions.

“Our communities can expect to see further action from GMP in connection with this issue.”

HMOs are where three or more unrelated people live.

Long used by young families or professionals, they have also been linked to the housing of migrants and asylum seekers.

Labour previously said they are committed to closing hotels housing migrants with a policy of dispersal into communities, with HMOs used by private housing providers paid for by taxpayers.

Latest government figures show that, as of the end of June 2026, 16,021 (17 per cent of people receiving asylum support) were in hotel accommodation, down 50 per cent from the end of June 2025 and 71 per cent from the peak of 56,018 at the end of September 2023.

There were 73,068 (78 per cent) in non-hotel accommodation, through dispersal, three per cent higher than at the end of June 2025.

This compares to around 48,000 in hotels and 55,000 in dispersal accommodation in 2023.

But a Home Affairs committee report in October last year concluded the distribution of asylum seekers across the country was unfair, with particular areas, including the North West of England, under disproportionate pressure of numbers.

As of June 2025, the North West hosted 27.3 asylum seekers per 10,000 population, compared to the South East, which hosted 7.0.

Accommodation providers are still procuring on cost, driving the concentration of accommodation in more deprived areas where housing is cheapest and profits higher for providers, the MPs’ report said.

The report warned that poorer communities face pressure on services, which could fuel growing tension and negatively affect community cohesion.