Police arrest three as hundreds of protesters face off outside Epping hotel housing asylum seekers
As many as 500 demonstrators — including families with children — stood outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, with many waving banners with slogans including 'British people before boat people'.
But the group was vastly outnumbered by a counter-protest of around 700 people, which was organised by Stand Up To Racism, who loudly chanted 'refugees are welcome here' while holding signs that read 'stop scapegoating refugees'.
Both protests remained largely peaceful throughout the afternoon, although there were fiery exchanges between rival supporters. {olice later confirmed that three arrests were made.
There was a further protest outside a hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, with the number of participants appearing to be in the low hundreds.
It marked the fifth time that protests have occurred outside The Bell Hotel after an Ethiopian resident was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, who arrived in Britain via small boat on June 29, denies any wrongdoing and remains in custody.
Counter-demonstrators — who also included senior representatives from the National Education Union — marched towards the hotel from Epping Underground Station.
Both groups were separated on Bell Common by mental fencing and a row of officers, some of whom wore riot gear.
As well as Essex Police, officers from the Metropolitan Police, Durham, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, West Midlands, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cheshire, Dyfed-Powys and Hampshire forces were at the scene.
One man was filmed being pinned to the ground by officers and placed inside a police van on Theydon Road.
Activists from far-Right groups, including the Homeland Party, a splinter group to the neo-Nazi Patriotic Alternative, were present.
Jaymey McIvor, a Reform UK councillor for Ongar, was also among those in attendance, but declined to comment when approached by The Standard.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, previously said he would attend before changing his mind and saying it would not be helpful to the cause.
Lewis Nielson, of Stand Up To Racism, told The Standard: 'Our demonstration is an opposition to the far-Right and of unity against scapegoating.
'Any issues of sexual assault and harassment should be taken incredibly seriously. But the reality is these serious issues are being seized on in a hypocritical and cynical way by the far-Right.'
Sabby Dhalu, 46, a convenor with Stand Up To Racism, said recent events in Epping show a 'fascist organisation stirring up violence' in the community.
She said: 'They're seizing on that in order to stir up racism and violence, and that's very similar to what we saw with the horrific murders and attacks in Southport last year, which ignited a load of rioting by the far-Right who were winding up others to get involved in racist rioting.'
Ed Harlow, vice-president of the NEU, said: 'We are the people who look after your children. We are the people who protect your children. We are the people who teach them day in day out. The people up there have no interest in protecting kids.'
He added: 'The people crossing the Channel are not the issue and we need to make that very very clear. When our kids are in school they play together, they learn together. They do not see the differences that those people see. They are united. The division comes later in life and it is driven by a broken, wretched ideology.'
A father-of-five said his business has been affected because of the ongoing protests.
He said: 'There's been five protests in this area over the last three to four weeks. Never attended. Not left-wing, not right-wing, not anything. I've lived in the area for 35 years, I have five children, four girls, one boy.
'I think this is way way over the top. It needs to be correct. I feel sorry for the police. I feel sorry for the actual general public that come out because it is dismayed by the people who come later in the evenings and literally just want to have trouble.
'I don't think that the people who live in Epping, like myself, deserve the feedback that they're getting. I believe if there was a conversation between the people that have come down today and the people that are here today… then there would be a resolve.
'I honestly believe the general people that live in the area are genuinely worried about their children. I also believe there may be a small minority of people that have caused the issue in the first place.'
The pro-immigration protesters departed the area at around 4.30pm, walking in the direction of Ivy Chimneys Road and Theydon Bois.
Essex Police imposed a dispersal order from 12pm on Sunday to 8am on Monday, covering the town centre and transport network.
A man, 52, from Loughton was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence. It is understood the arrest was in connection with abuse being shouted towards counter-protesters.
Elsewhere, a woman, 53, also from Loughton, was arrested on suspicion of a racially-aggravated public order offence connected with a previous protest, and it is understood she was part of the protest against the use of the hotel.
Meanwhile, a woman, 27, from Deptford, southeast London was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and a public order offence, and it is understood she was part of the counter-protest.
'I want to thank those who attended for the peaceful nature of both protests,' said Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow. 'I am pleased that today has passed off without incident and I am grateful to our colleagues from other forces for their support.'
Police have now made 21 arrests and charged ten people with disorder since the protests began earlier this month.
At the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, a protester said public anger is being misunderstood.
Kathleen O'Shaughnessy said: 'I came over on a boat from Ireland, and we went to work when we got here. We didn't live off the country.
'I can understand why people are really upset. It's not about being racist. I'm not saying people shouldn't be helped, but the way they're going about it is not right.'
Andrew, who lives in the capital, added: "(Canary Wharf) is a very diverse place. We all felt safe here up until recently, this week, when we found out there's going to be undocumented migrants staying in this hotel here.
"If they're going to walking around late at night, the sort of individuals who you might get who are high risk in a hotel like this could potentially target them.
'It's very easy to paint us as a bunch of angry, white British lads who are annoyed with immigration. But honestly, the vast majority of people I know here in London — they're not even from the UK."
Gareth said it was "a sense of duty to my country' which brought him to the rally as he carried a shield bearing St George's Cross.
He said: "When I think of what our ancestors went through to protect this country, like most of the other patriots, I'm not pleased the way it's going and it's time to take a stand.'
Additional reporting by Georgia Bell,and Megan Howe
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Voices: By likening Nigel Farage to Jimmy Savile, Peter Kyle has handed Reform a free gift
Just when Nigel Farage and his tiny parliamentary party were beginning to be exposed as shrill and clueless, Peter Kyle, one of the most promising cabinet ministers, handed them a free gift. By saying that the Reform leader is on the side of 'people like Jimmy Savile', Kyle destroys his own arguments for the Online Safety Act. The attempt to link Farage with a notorious child sex abuser is gratuitous and offensive. It makes Kyle seem desperate, and allows Farage to pose as the wronged party. Farage's criticisms of the Act seem more credible after Kyle's outburst than before. It is surprising that Kyle has chosen to use this slur when Labour people were so indignant – and rightly so – when Boris Johnson used it against Keir Starmer. That was when Johnson was desperate: Sue Gray's report on lockdown parties in Downing Street had just been published and Johnson wanted some way of deflecting attention. His attack on Starmer had nothing to do with Gray's report. It was an aside referring to Starmer's time as director of public prosecutions, during which, Johnson said, 'he spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile, as far as I can make out'. But it was more relevant than Kyle's attack on Farage. It is factually correct that the Crown Prosecution Service failed to prosecute Savile when Starmer was in charge, and it is unclear whether it could have done more to bring Savile to justice at the time. But Farage has nothing to do with Savile – at all. Kyle's attempt to smear the Reform leader was phrased thus on Sky News: 'If people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online, and Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.' Nothing could be better calculated to distract from the real issue, which is whether Farage's pledge to repeal the Online Safety Act is a sensible one. The Reform rhetoric about 'authoritarian' and 'dystopian' legislation is overdone, and Farage admitted yesterday that he didn't know how he would protect children online instead. But rather of exposing the weakness of Farage's arguments, Kyle allowed his opponent to protest on X that his comment was 'disgusting' and to demand an apology. Kyle responded: 'If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.' This is a terrible way to conduct a public debate. There are well-founded concerns about the Online Safety Act, which seems to put unworkable obligations on non-profit-making websites while doing little to ensure that the big tech companies behave more responsibly. A lot of well-informed people said it was badly drafted legislation even before it was passed by the Conservative government two years ago. Kyle is now overseeing the coming into effect of provisions of the Act relating to age-verification, and instead of acting on the concerns that have been expressed, he has ploughed ahead – in effect accusing anyone who has doubts, including for example Ella Dorn of the New Statesman, of being aligned with Savile. When Johnson gratuitously dragged Savile's name into his attempt to save his disintegrating premiership, the disgust at his deliberate attempt to invoke conspiracy theories driven by fears of paedophilia was felt across the political spectrum. Munira Mirza, Johnson's adviser who was consulted in advance, begged him not to do it, and resigned when he did. Kyle should not be using the same disreputable tactic, which not only speaks volumes about this government's self-confidence but also allows Reform off the hook. Only this morning, Sarah Pochin, Reform's newest MP, was struggling to explain what her party's policy on small boats actually is. All she could propose was that Britain should 'do something drastic', by which she seemed to suggest that we should let migrants drown in the Channel. If the next election really is a fight between Labour and Reform, Labour must fight it better than this.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
What time is the three-minute silence for the Southport attack?
The country will come together to show 'sorrow and solidarity' a year after the Southport attack, Sir Keir Starmer has said. Sir Keir Starmer has said "the whole nation stands with the families of Bebe, Alice and Elsie" a year on from the Southport attack. Three minutes of silence will be held in the Merseyside town today (29 July) to mark a year since Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven were murdered by Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. In the days following the attack, during which Rudakubana also attempted to kill eight other children and two adults, violent disorder broke out in the seaside town and across the country. The prime minister said: "We stand together in grief, in honour of the memory of those wonderful children, and in admiration of the families who have shown strength beyond words. 'We stand with all the children and adults who still bear the physical and mental scars of that day – and in awe of those who risked their lives to help." When is the silence for the Southport victims? The three-minute silence will be held in Southport at 3pm today (29 July). People have been asked not to leave flowers at the scene, or at the schools the girls attended, as the town continues to rebuild after the tragedy. Watch: 'We cannot allow evil to define us', says council deputy leader about Southport attacks Members of the public are being asked to consider making donations to local causes, including funds set up in the names of the victims and the Southport Strong Together Appeal, which was established last year to support those affected. No large vigil will be held, but churches and community centres will be open for those looking for support or space for quiet reflection. What happened in the Southport attack? Shortly before midday on 29 July, 2024, chilling footage showed the moment Rudakubana strolled up to the entrance of the dance class at The Hart Space, where a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop was taking place. The 18-year-old had the hood of his green jumper up and a surgical mask on during the 22-second clip, which saw him approach the building before entering, where he began to attack the children and adults inside. Describing the attack a year on, one girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: 'Some of the girls were sat down in a circle making bracelets with the teachers, and then a couple of them were getting up to get beads and I was stood in between two tables, and he came through the doors and stabbed a little girl in front of me, and then came for me and stabbed my arm. 'I turned and then he stabbed my back, even though I didn't feel it at the time, and then I went on to the landing where there was a bunch of girls huddled around, so I just started pushing them down the stairs, telling them to get out and to run.' In January, "cruel and pure evil" Rudakubana received one of the highest minimum terms on record - 52 years - for the 'sadistic' murders of the three girls and attempted murder of others. Who were the victims? Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine A keen dancer, she had been pictured eagerly waiting to get into the Taylor Swift-themed event on the day she was killed. In a post on the Instagram account of Alice's WonderDance foundation yesterday (28 July), her family said: "Not a day goes by that we don't miss her terribly, the weight of pain is getting heavier every day. And so it will be forever. Now we are living with the beautiful memories and thinking about what tomorrow would be like if nothing had happened.' Bebe King, aged six Bebe's Hive, set up by her family to support grieving children, referenced Taylor Swift song "Bejeweled" in an Instagram post which said: 'Our girls' energy will continue to shimmer.' The caption, which appeared to have been written by Bebe's mother Lauren, accompanied a video of her dancing and playing with a bubble machine. 'I feel her with me every day and that feeling is what keeps us going. Her light, her care, her spark – it lives on, and we'll continue it for as long as we can.' Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven At her funeral last summer, Elsie was described as 'a little girl who loved a big party' and had the 'ability to light up any room that she entered'. The team behind Elsie's Story, a charity set up in her name to support other children, said on Instagram at the weekend: 'We set out with an ambition: to continue Elsie's legacy, to make a positive difference in her name, to bring hope to other children, and to show that we will not live in fear, but with fun and love." Eight other children The other children injured in the attack cannot be named for legal reasons. John Hayes, 63 The businessman was stabbed in the leg while trying to disarm Rudakubana, but survived. He told ITV News how he ran from his office to help when he realised people were injured. Asked if he felt he was a hero, he replied: 'I'm not going sit here and tell you that I was brave about the whole thing and confronting a knifeman, that's not the story at all." Leanne Lucas, 35 The yoga class instructor suffered serious stab wounds while trying to protect two girls, but survived the attack. She told LBC: 'My purpose was creating wellbeing events for children and families, and... for that to be trampled over has just really dampened all of our spirits. I'm not too sure how we'll ever move on, apart from use the girl's memories as a driving force to change things for other people in the future, so this doesn't have to happen to them again." Read more Southport MP says town won't be defined by atrocity one year on from attack (The Guardian) Southport stabbing victim reveals how she survived attack - and fears 'it could happen again' (Sky News) A Year On From The Southport Riots, Is The UK Really On The Edge Of Mass Civil Disobedience? (HuffPost)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Farage labels Kyle's comments ‘below the belt' and reiterates call for apology
Nigel Farage has reiterated his demands for a Cabinet minister to apologise for accusing him of being on the side of 'extreme pornographers'. A row broke out on Tuesday morning after Peter Kyle said the Reform UK leader is on the side of 'people like Jimmy Savile' over the party's pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act. Mr Farage labelled Technology Secretary Mr Kyle's remarks as 'below the belt' and 'so absolutely disgusting that it's almost beyond belief', and urged people to sign a petition calling for the legislation to be repealed. Former Reform chair Zia Yusuf said on Monday that the party would repeal the legislation if they got into Government. 'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws,' Mr Kyle told Sky News. 'So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side. 'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.' Responding to Mr Kyle on a live stream on Tuesday morning, Mr Farage said: 'Just how low can the Labour Government sink in its desperation? 'Yes, of course they're in trouble. They're well behind us in the opinion polls. But frankly, to say that I would do anything that would in any way aid and abet people like Jimmy Savile, it's so below the belt it's almost not true.' He also reiterated his demand for an apology and added: 'We're not going to get one. I think perhaps the best thing we can do is to sign the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act. That's what I'm going to do today. I think it makes sense. I'm deeply worried about the implications for free speech.' Under rules that came into effect on July 25, online platforms such as social media sites and search engines must take steps to prevent children accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide. Mr Yusuf has said that the laws work to 'suppress freedom of speech' and 'force social media companies to censor anti-Government speech'. After being asked by Mr Farage to apologise on social media, Mr Kyle doubled down on his comments, claiming that wanting to 'overturn' the Act puts somebody 'on the side of predators'. Mr Yusuf has claimed that Mr Kyle's remarks showed 'how deeply unserious' the Government was about child safety, adding: 'Talking about Jimmy Savile in that way does nothing other than denigrate the victims of Jimmy Savile.' He told Sky News that the comments are 'one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said in the political arena that I can remember. And that's quite a high bar, frankly.' Sir Keir Starmer jumped to defend the legislation from its critics when he met Donald Trump on Monday, telling reporters: 'We're not censoring anyone. 'We've got some measures which are there to protect children, in particular, from sites like suicide sites.' The Prime Minister added: 'I personally feel very strongly that we should protect our young teenagers, and that's what it usually is, from things like suicide sites. I don't see that as a free speech issue, I see that as child protection.'