Angry activists who descended on a Falkirk hotel were met by hundreds of counter protesters.
Two separate demonstrations were called by the Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures group in the town on Saturday, amid fears of local people about alleged crimes linked to those housed at the Cladhan Hotel.
The first saw hundreds gather outside the office of Labour MP Euan Stainbank, where speeches were made, and people took aim at the UK Government, the police and journalists who were covering the protest.
More than 200 later assembled outside the nearby Cladhan Hotel, which is believed to house asylum seekers waiting for their claims to be processed.
The group, which was bolstered by a steady stream of people coming from the previous demonstration, was met by about 200 counter-protesters from the trade union movement and the campaign group Stand Up To Racism.
Exchanges quickly became tense, as both sides engaged in personal abuse and threats were hurled.
Police separated both sides behind barriers, with the counter protesters in what appeared to be a car park for the hotel and the protesters on the opposite pavement.
The protest is the second in as many weeks outside the Cladhan Hotel.
Another took place outside a facility in Perth last week as tensions have risen in Scotland at the housing of asylum seekers in hotels.
On Monday, polling suggested concerns over immigration were in the top three issues of concern for Scots.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage used an appearance in Scotland to say he thought immigration would become a wider issue north of the border ahead of the Holyrood election next year.
