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North Wales Chronicle
3 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Protesters stage demo outside hotel used to house migrants
Sunday saw the latest in a series of demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Protesters waved union flags, while Stand Up To Racism counter-protesters marched to the hotel with signs reading: 'Stop scapegoating refugees and migrants'. Weyman Bennett, co-convener of Stand Up To Racism, told the PA news agency that volunteer security personnel accompanied them. He added: 'We're happy to demonstrate but we're not happy to be attacked by thugs, racists and hooligans.' One man was seen being taken away from the station area by two officers, though it was not clear if he was part of any group. Members of Stand Up To Racism were seen trying to stop people from filming the protesters, as locals watched the march from their driveways. One local man was seen chanting in support of Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as the march went past. He began shouting 'there's only one Tommy Robinson' when a protester approached him. One Stand Up To Racism protester chanted 'fascist scum' at him before police stepped in to ensure they would not come together. Essex Police said it had established protest restrictions due to repeated serious disruption, violence, and harm to the community during previous demonstrations. The force said that there was a ban on anyone wearing face coverings and that there were designated sites opposite the hotel for protesters. A dispersal order was in effect from 12pm on Sunday until 8am on Monday, covering Epping town centre and nearby transport hubs. Both sets of protesters were kept separated by fences. Those protesting outside The Bell Hotel in Epping chose to ignore counter-demonstrators and began singing. They sang Sweet Caroline and Come On Eileen while demonstrators from Stand Up To Racism chanted 'Nazi scum off our streets'. Essex Police said that residents have reported feeling 'trapped', fearful of leaving their homes and anxious about protest activity previously. Hotel residents and staff have been advised to remain indoors after 5pm as some have experienced verbal and physical harassment, including a resident chased and injured while returning to the hotel, the force added. Essex Police said there was an 'escalation of violence' during protests on July 13, 17, 20 and 24, involving hundreds of people. The force added that officers were assaulted, missiles were thrown, vehicles were vandalised and the hotel sustained broken windows and graffiti. The Epping protest was sparked by the charging of asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, with sexual assault after he allegedly attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl. He denied the charge at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court and will stand trial in August.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Shadow home secretary says the immigration status of suspects MUST be made public in court to stop misinformation spreading online
The immigration status of suspects should be made public to end harmful misinformation, the Shadow Home Secretary has said. Courts and prosecutors should reveal how a defendant entered Britain to stop lies spreading online, according to Chris Philp. His intervention comes amid heated protests outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which houses migrants, and the false claim that the Southport killer was an asylum seeker, which sparked race riots last summer. Mr Philp said: 'The Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service should not be refusing to release details on the immigration status of dangerous perpetrators – the public deserve to know the truth and they need to be protected from foreign criminals.' Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, added: 'The courts should be required by law to publish, in real time, the nationality and immigration status of those who come before them. 'Speculation and distortion would stop, preventing sensitive situations from getting out of control.' The Ministry of Justice has now confirmed the potential release of further information about foreign national offenders (FNOs) will be considered as part of a review. Online misinformation about the Southport triple-murderer Axel Rudakubana, 18, being a Muslim asylum seeker ignited nationwide rioting last summer. It was later revealed that Rudakubana was born in Cardiff to Christian parents who migrated to the UK from Rwanda. An MoJ spokesman said: 'The Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has asked civil servants to review what can be published on FNOs to increase transparency on this important issue.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'It is our long-standing policy not to comment on individual cases. FNOs who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes will face the full force of the law, including deportation.' Earlier this month, a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed that more than 300 asylum seekers living at 70 hotels had been charged with 708 criminal offences, as serious as rape, over the past three years. While the nationality of the accused is sometimes shown in court documents when they ask for an interpreter, the immigration status is not disclosed. Violent protests broke out at The Bell Hotel this month after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault, which he denies.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Keir Starmer accused of having an 'obsession with censorship' as it emerges that elite police units will monitor social media posts on migrants for early signs of unrest
Keir Starmer was last night accused of an 'obsession with censorship' after it emerged an elite team of police officers will monitor social media posts to quell riots. Detectives are set to be drawn from forces around the country as the Government scrambles to crack down on potential violence by flagging up early signs of civil unrest online. It comes amid fears Britain could face another summer of disorder just 12 months after a wave of riots following the Southport murders. Demonstrations have flared up outside The Bell Hotel, in Epping, Essex, after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexual offences against a schoolgirl. Protesters – and counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism – gathered outside the hotel again yesterday, with more demos planned at other migrant hotels including in Wolverhampton, Cheshire and Canary Wharf, amid local concerns about hotels being used to accommodate single male migrants. The new National Internet Intelligence Investigations team, assembled by the Home Office, will aim to 'maximise social media intelligence' after police forces were heavily criticised for their handling of last year's riots. But critics say the social media crackdown is 'disturbing' and raises concerns for free speech. It also comes after footage emerged of Essex Police escorting pro-migrant protesters to the Epping hotel before clashes broke out. He has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper about the 'dangerous development', asking: 'Why is funding being prioritised for online speech surveillance instead of increasing front-line policing or addressing the causes of the migrant hotel protests?' Madeleine Stone, of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said the new unit to monitor social media was 'another example of this Government's obsession with censorship and eerily reminiscent of the Covid-era counter-disinformation units, which faced huge backlash.' The Home Office was contacted for comment. A National Police Chiefs' Council spokesman said: 'Forces will continue to facilitate the right to peaceful protest,' adding that they were 'closely monitoring the latest intelligence to ensure we are best placed to respond swiftly to reports of serious disorder. 'We have mechanisms in place, enhanced following last summer, to enable us to mobilise resources at a regional and national level if required.'
