Six arrested after ‘thuggery' outside Essex hotel ‘housing asylum seekers'

Yahoo

21-07-2025

Six people have been arrested after another protest escalated 'into mindless thuggery', police said, outside an Essex hotel believed to house asylum seekers.
More than 100 demonstrators assembled outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Sunday evening, with some chanting 'save our kids'.
Essex Police said six people were arrested that 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.
A 16-year-old male from south London was arrested on suspicion of going equipped to cause criminal damage, it added
At 10.15pm, Essex Police said: 'There were angry and violent scenes when a woman walked through the crowds.
'Missiles were thrown at her and a number of individuals were shouting abuse and trying to reach the woman.
'Our officers walked alongside her until she left the scene in order to keep everyone on all sides safe and ensure no-one was hurt.'
It added: 'An officer from Norfolk was struck in the face by a bottle and taken to hospital.'
A Section 35 dispersal order was put in place 'to prevent further crime or anti-social behaviour', and a Section 60AA was activated to give officers the power to make 'any individuals' remove their 'face coverings and balaclavas'.
Epping High Road was closed for 'a number of hours' after people gathered there.
Police said 'all protesters have now been dispersed' at 11.15pm.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: 'Disappointingly we have seen yet another protest, which begun peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle.
'For anyone who thinks we will tolerate their thuggery – think again.'
Some set off flares in blue and red, while others held signs which read 'deport foreign criminals', 'we go home when they go back' and 'defend our girls'.
Bottles and smoke flares were later thrown towards police vans blocking the entrance to the hotel on the High Road.
This came as a man was charged with violent disorder and criminal damage on Sunday afternoon following previous clashes outside the hotel.
Eight police officers were injured after what started as a peaceful protest on Thursday evening.
Keith Silk, 33, of Torrington Drive, Loughton, was arrested on Saturday, Essex Police said.
The force said on Sunday that the CPS had authorised police to charge Silk with one count of violent disorder and one count of criminal damage.
He was remanded into custody and will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Thursday's demonstration was one of a series of protests outside the hotel since 38-year-old asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was charged with sexual assault after an incident where he is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
He denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Chief Superintendent Anslow said: 'Individuals who thought that after last Thursday, turned up this evening only to find themselves getting arrested (sic) and we have continued to arrest others throughout the evening.'
He added: 'I would also like to set the record straight around misinformation that Essex Police is anything other than impartial.
'We don't take sides, we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt – plain and simple.
'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.
'I think I speak for all of us – including the people of Epping – when I say we've had enough of your criminality.
'But our cells, which have been filling up throughout the evening, are ready for you, so don't be in any doubt that this is where you will be sleeping.'