Fact check: Claims around Britannia hotel in Canary Wharf
Evaluation
These claims differ from what the police have said about the events.
The police say that people filmed leaving the hotel on mopeds were hotel staff, while the escort was provided to a delivery driver who was delivering to the hotel.
Police also said that the ban on protest applies only to a specific group of people and if others want to protest at the hotel lawfully they are allowed.
The facts
Protests took place outside the Britannia hotel on Sunday amid reports that asylum seekers are set to be housed at the site.
Delivery drivers
The video of the delivery driver being escorted by police matches images on Google Street View from the site, another video of the event has been shared on social media and the police commented on the video – all of which confirm that the event was indeed filmed at the location in Canary Wharf.
The police statement said that the driver was not a resident at the hotel and that there's no evidence they were an illegal worker.
'This person was delivering to the hotel, they were not being accommodated there. There is no evidence to suggest they were working illegally,' the Met Police said.
'They were were surrounded and intimidated by those gathered outside and officers intervened to make sure they got away safely.'
A screenshot from another video which showed two people on mopeds trying to leave the hotel matches Street View images from the scene. In response to that the police said: 'The two people leaving were members of staff working at the hotel who were, as with the incident this afternoon, subjected to unacceptable harassment by those waiting outside.'
Protesters
Videos were circulated online showing police ordering people to leave the area.
However, in a statement the Metropolitan Police said that this was for a group which remained 'who were harassing occupants of the hotel and staff'.
'Their actions went well beyond protest to harassment and we used powers under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to order that specific group to leave and not return for 28 days.
'If a different group wishes to protest in the vicinity of the hotel they are not banned from doing so, providing they do so lawfully.'
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Post on X (archived post and video)
Post on YouTube (archived post and video from separate source)
Post on X (archived)
First Street View image (archived)
Video on Threads (archived)
First police post (archived)
Post of screenshot from video (archived)
Second Street View image (archived)
Second police post (archived)
Post of video of police asking people to leave (archived post and video)
Third police post (archived)
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