‘Before, I felt safe and the locals were nice': asylum seekers on how Epping protests have transformed daily life

The Guardian

a day ago

Asylum seekers living in the Essex hotel that has become a target of protests and far-right incitement have said they fear for their lives after being attacked on the streets and, in some cases, needing medical treatment afterwards.
The situation for men living in the Bell hotel, where they had previously felt safe, has been transformed since the protests began, according to another asylum seeker who was filmed being chased down the street by men involved in the demonstrations.
Speaking near the hotel in Epping, an asylum seeker who had fled war in his home country of Yemen said injuries on his face had been caused when six men attacked him while he was out walking.
'They were in two cars and they were ready. They were waiting for us,' said Nabil*. As he spoke, abuse was shouted from a car driving past.
A friend who was with him, Jibreel*, from Kuwait, said those in the hotel were being confined to their rooms during the protests, which are now happening during the week and at the weekends.
'It's not safe for us here and we know this,' he said. 'We're here in the UK for different reasons – in my case it's because of politics and persecution in my home – but we just want to be able to live, to study and do something here. He said he had crossed the Channel in a small boat from France, arriving with the body of a friend who had drowned en route.
Police have made 18 arrests and charged seven people in connection with the demonstrations, which have drawn hundreds, including local people as well as far-right activists. The gatherings began after an asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault, although the far right has targeted the hotel for years.
Asylum seekers living in the hotel have told the Guardian they want it to close as they no longer feel safe there.
Abdi*, an asylum seeker from east Africa who was chased down the street by some protesters outside the hotel, said he had been unable to sleep since the attack.
'I don't speak good English but I knew some of the swearwords they were shouting at me, like 'motherfucker'. I have been living in the hotel since April and before the protesters arrived I felt safe here and we had no problem at all with the local residents, who were nice to us.
'But when I was chased I felt as if I was running for my life. I am sure it was a racist attack because I am black and the people pursuing me were white and I had done nothing to them. I hadn't broken the law, I make sure I never even drop litter. I was just walking along carrying some shopping.
'But now I feel that some of the protesters want to get people like me. I experienced bad things in my country but here I can't even ask those people who attacked me why they attacked me, because my English is not good.
'I didn't come to this country to cause harm to anyone, just to feel safe. If the police were not here, I don't know what we would do. They are the only thing standing between us and some of the protesters attacking us. Before we used to leave the hotel individually but now we leave in bigger groups for protection.'
The protests show no sign of easing, and a major police operation is planned for this Sunday. Counter-demonstrators from Stand Up to Racism are also planning to gather in Epping.
The protests are being promoted on Facebook groups, while misinformation is being shared and amplified on X. One Facebook group – Epping Says No! – has administrators from the far-right Homeland party.
Asylum seekers in hotels in other areas of the country were watching the protests anxiously and said they were fearful too.
However, several of them had signed an open letter, coordinated by the charity Care4Calais, addressed to 'our brothers and sisters in Epping and others in asylum accommodation'. It states: 'We thought we were safe in the UK but now we are afraid again. Let's not allow fear to divide us. Let's keep supporting one another.'
Addressing the British public, it says: 'Some of you have shown us great kindness and we will never forget it. Please keep standing up against hate.'
Appealing to the UK government, it says: 'While we wait [for our asylum decisions] protect us, respect us and treat us with dignity.'
Research shared with the Guardian by the refugee theatre group Phosphoros Theatre found that, of 37 young asylum seekers surveyed, 49% felt mentally affected by last year's riots one year on, and 69% felt loneliness.
* Names have been changed