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Cost of policing protests outside Essex hotel ‘housing asylum seekers' reaches £100,000

Cost of policing protests outside Essex hotel ‘housing asylum seekers' reaches £100,000

Independent3 days ago
The cost of policing protests outside a hotel in Essex believed to be housing asylum seekers has reached a six-figure sum.
The latest protest, on Sunday, saw more than 100 demonstrators assemble outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, while eight officers were injured following a protest there on Thursday evening.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow, of Essex Police, said the cost of policing the incidents in Epping over the last week has reached £100,000.
He said: 'The cost of policing criminal incidents in Epping over the last week has reached £100,000 – money which we would much rather spend on continuing to cut crime across Essex and keeping our neighbourhoods safe.'
A man has appeared before a court and denied a charge of violent disorder following a protest outside the hotel.
A second man was charged on Monday with violent disorder, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Thursday's demonstration was one of a series of protests outside the hotel since asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexual assault following an incident where he is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Kebatu denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Essex Police said six people were arrested on Sunday evening and remain in custody, including a 17-year-old male on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police car.
Four were arrested on Sunday for alleged offences during Thursday's protest, police said.
Mr Anslow said: 'What we have seen in Epping over the last week is not protest, it's hooliganism and the people responsible for it can expect to be held accountable.
'To those who seek to use social media to peddle untruths and lies about the incidents in Epping on Thursday and Sunday, you won't win.
'The very people you are criticising are police officers who have families, who live in our communities and want to keep them safe.
'These are the same people who have been antagonised with threatening and abusive language, they've had missiles thrown at them and they've been injured.
'Once again, to anyone who somehow thinks we will tolerate this behaviour – think again.
He added: 'We don't take sides; we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt – it really is that simple.
'There continues to be a visible policing presence in Epping today and that will remain in the coming days.'
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Fury erupts over footage of second police force escorting pro-migrant protesters to asylum seeker hotel as Epping unrest sparks nationwide tensions
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Fury erupts over footage of second police force escorting pro-migrant protesters to asylum seeker hotel as Epping unrest sparks nationwide tensions

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A spokesman for Hampshire police said: 'Protests outside Potters International Hotel regularly take place on an area of land which backs directly onto a busy A road, running between Aldershot and Farnborough. 'Therefore, there is only one direction for people attending from Aldershot town centre or the nearby housing estate to arrive. 'Officers engage with those attending, and ensure they know where they can safely protest both in advance and on the day. 'Policing protests requires us to balance the rights of those lawfully protesting and the rights of others to go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption, whilst keeping the public safe. 'Protests organised by Rushmoor People First and attended by counter-protesters this year have all concluded with no disorder, thanks to proactive engagement with police by protest organisers and the decisions made by officers on the ground to safely facilitate attending groups.'

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