UK police arrest six after asylum seeker hotel protest turns violent
Essex Police said they arrested six people in Epping on Sunday, including four suspected of involvement in "violent disorder" during the previous demonstration on Thursday.
Officers patrolled the area around the Bell Hotel throughout the night after issuing an order for the crowds to disperse.
Chanting "Save our kids" and "Send them home," more than 100 demonstrators, some waving England flags, gathered outside the hotel on Sunday evening.
The protests escalated as night fell, with flares and projectiles thrown toward police vans blocking the entrance.
Police escorted a counter-protester from the area after demonstrators surrounded her.
"Disappointingly we have seen yet another protest, which began peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle," Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow of the Essex Police said in a statement.
"For anyone who thinks we will tolerate their thuggery — think again."
Before Sunday's protests, local police issued an order that allowed them to force demonstrators to remove face coverings.
They later issued an order for the demonstrators to leave the area around the hotel. That dispersal order remained in effect until 4 am local time (5 am CEST) on Monday morning.
The demonstration came after eight police officers were injured on Thursday after a peaceful protest outside the hotel escalated into violence.
Police blamed the violence on people from outside the community who "arrived at the scene intent on causing trouble."
Four of those detained on Sunday were arrested in connection with events that happened during the initial protest, police said.
A fifth was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police car, while the sixth was arrested for being equipped to cause criminal damage.
The protests began after a 38-year-old asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault after allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
The man is being held without bail after his first court appearance on 10 July. He denies the charges.
"We don't take sides, we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt — plain and simple," Anslow said.
"I know the people of Essex know what we're about so I know they won't believe the rubbish circulating online that is designed to do nothing more than inflame tensions and trouble.'"
Epping Forest District Council, which provides local government services in the area, condemned the violence but said it had long opposed the central government's decision to use the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers.
"We have consistently shared concerns with the Home Office that the Bell Hotel is an entirely unsuitable location for this facility and should close," council Leader Chris Whitbread said in a statement last week.
"We continue to press Home Office officials for the immediate closure of the site and are encouraged that our local MPs are now actively supporting our call."
Escalating tensions
The protests come amid escalating tensions over the rising number of asylum seekers who are being housed at government expense in hotels around the country.
Those pressures flared into days of rioting last month in Northern Ireland after two teenagers were arrested on charges of sexual assault.
Violent anti-immigrant protests spread throughout the UK last summer after social media users spread misinformation about the identity of the person who attacked a dance class in the northwestern town of Southport, killing three young girls.
The attacker was a 17-year-old who was born in the UK to parents from Rwanda, not an asylum seeker as had been rumoured.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned last year's riots as "far-right thuggery" as police intervened to stop the violence and expedited the sentencing of those convicted of taking part.
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France 24
27-07-2025
- France 24
Hundreds demonstrate in protest-hit UK town
It was the latest in a series of demonstrations in Epping, northeast of London, after an asylum seeker was charged earlier in July with three counts of sexual assault, including allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. But only about 400 people from rival groups demonstrated in the town, as police put in place a tight security operation, erecting barricades to keep them apart and banning the wearing of masks. Essex police said they had "a robust policing operation in place to protect our community and to deal swiftly with anyone intent on causing crime or violent disorder". Protestors gathered outside the Bell Hotel in the town, which has been used to house asylum seekers and refugees, despite pleas from the local council to close it down. "They're a threat. They don't know who they are, who they're allowing in these hotels, and basically they're putting everybody at danger", one protester, who identified herself only as Cathy, told AFP. There was also a counter-protest by the organisation Stand Up To Racism, who chanted "refugees are welcome here' and "Whose streets? Our streets". Three people were arrested Sunday but the protest went off "peacefully," Essex police said in a statement. The issue of thousands of irregular migrants arriving in small boats across the Channel, coupled with the UK's worsening economy, has triggered rising anger among some Britons. Such sentiments have been amplified by inflammatory messaging on social networks, fuelled by far-right activists. Almost exactly a year ago on July 29, 2024, three young girls were stabbed to death in a frenzied attack in northwestern Southport. Nearly 24,000 migrants have made the perilous journey across the Channel so far in 2025, the highest-ever tally at this point in a year. © 2025 AFP
Euronews
21-07-2025
- Euronews
UK police arrest six after asylum seeker hotel protest turns violent
A town on the outskirts of London was rocked by protesters who descended on a hotel housing asylum seekers for the second time in four days on Sunday night, amid anger about a migrant accused of sexual assault. Essex Police said they arrested six people in Epping on Sunday, including four suspected of involvement in "violent disorder" during the previous demonstration on Thursday. Officers patrolled the area around the Bell Hotel throughout the night after issuing an order for the crowds to disperse. Chanting "Save our kids" and "Send them home," more than 100 demonstrators, some waving England flags, gathered outside the hotel on Sunday evening. The protests escalated as night fell, with flares and projectiles thrown toward police vans blocking the entrance. Police escorted a counter-protester from the area after demonstrators surrounded her. "Disappointingly we have seen yet another protest, which began peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle," Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow of the Essex Police said in a statement. "For anyone who thinks we will tolerate their thuggery — think again." Before Sunday's protests, local police issued an order that allowed them to force demonstrators to remove face coverings. They later issued an order for the demonstrators to leave the area around the hotel. That dispersal order remained in effect until 4 am local time (5 am CEST) on Monday morning. The demonstration came after eight police officers were injured on Thursday after a peaceful protest outside the hotel escalated into violence. Police blamed the violence on people from outside the community who "arrived at the scene intent on causing trouble." Four of those detained on Sunday were arrested in connection with events that happened during the initial protest, police said. A fifth was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police car, while the sixth was arrested for being equipped to cause criminal damage. The protests began after a 38-year-old asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault after allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. The man is being held without bail after his first court appearance on 10 July. He denies the charges. "We don't take sides, we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt — plain and simple," Anslow said. "I know the people of Essex know what we're about so I know they won't believe the rubbish circulating online that is designed to do nothing more than inflame tensions and trouble.'" Epping Forest District Council, which provides local government services in the area, condemned the violence but said it had long opposed the central government's decision to use the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers. "We have consistently shared concerns with the Home Office that the Bell Hotel is an entirely unsuitable location for this facility and should close," council Leader Chris Whitbread said in a statement last week. "We continue to press Home Office officials for the immediate closure of the site and are encouraged that our local MPs are now actively supporting our call." Escalating tensions The protests come amid escalating tensions over the rising number of asylum seekers who are being housed at government expense in hotels around the country. Those pressures flared into days of rioting last month in Northern Ireland after two teenagers were arrested on charges of sexual assault. Violent anti-immigrant protests spread throughout the UK last summer after social media users spread misinformation about the identity of the person who attacked a dance class in the northwestern town of Southport, killing three young girls. The attacker was a 17-year-old who was born in the UK to parents from Rwanda, not an asylum seeker as had been rumoured. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned last year's riots as "far-right thuggery" as police intervened to stop the violence and expedited the sentencing of those convicted of taking part.
France 24
20-07-2025
- France 24
New clashes outside London hotel housing migrants
Police said they had arrested five people for "violent disorder" at the rally outside the Bell Hotel in the north-east London district of Epping. "Disappointingly we have seen yet another protest, which had begun peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle," Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said in a statement. Police vans guarded the entrance to the hotel as several hundred people rallied outside, according to the British news agency PA. The protestors shouted "save our children" and "send them home", while banners called for the expulsion of "foreign criminals". Tensions have been simmering for days after a 38-year-old asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault. He allegedly tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl, which he denied when brought to court on Thursday. On Thursday evening, eight police officers were wounded in clashes. Anti-immigration riots shook the UK last summer after three girls were stabbed to death by a teenager in the north-western town of Southport, even though the suspect turned out to be British-born. Rioters had attacked hotels housing asylum seekers in several towns, including an attempt to set fire to an establishment in Rotherham, in north-east England.
