An Essex town is bracing itself for further unrest after protesters prepared to march from a controversial migrant hotel to the local council building.
The Bell Hotel in Epping has become the focus of anger against asylum seekers after a man staying there was charged with sexually assaulting two teenage girls just days after arriving in Britain.
News spread quickly on social media and Epping has endured several protests in the last fortnight, with one ending in violence as rioters jumped up on down on the roof of a police van and thugs smashed their windows.
This afternoon metal fencing was delivered to the hotel on the back of a flatbed truck, in a seeming drive to beef up the building’s defences.
Police in riot gear were spotted forming a barrier around the hotel in Epping, lining both sides of the road, with a canine team also present.
A dispersal order has also been issed by police in Epping following the demonstrations outside The Bell hotel this month.
The order, which is in place from 2pm today until 8am tomorrow, covers an area including the town centre and transport hubs such as the Underground station.
Since the disorder began earlier this month, protests have spread to other parts of the country, with more than 150 gathering outside The Park Hotel, in Diss, Norfolk on Monday after the Home Office announced plans to change it from housing asylum-seeker families to single men.
A police officer watches over protestors in front of an English flag reading ‘The Only Way is Epping’
A van driven by protestors, sporting a giant sign reading ‘Protect our kids’
Another sign tied to the metal barriers surrounding the perimeters of the hotel reads ‘Shut this migrant hotel down’
One of the Epping protestors wears a t-shirt that reads ‘Close The Bell Hotel, Save Our Kids’
Metal fencing was delivered to the migrant hotel in Epping this morning as it tries to bolster defences
Police have issued a dispersal order in Epping following previous demonstrations outside The Bell hotel earlier this month. The order, which is in place from 2pm today until 8am tomorrow, covers an area including the town centre and transport hubs such as the Underground station
The Bell Hotel in Epping, which has housed migrants on and off for the last five years, has become a hotspot for protests against asylum seekers
A protestors jumps up and down on the roof of a police van at a protest on July 17 outside The Bell Hotel
Anti-immigration protestors attacked police vans during the protest on July 17
Ethiopian aslyum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with a number of sexual offences.
He was arrested by officers on July 8 after reports of a man acting inappropriately towards a number of people.
Kebatu appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 10 July and denied all offences.
On July 17 Kebatu was charged with three counts of sexual assault, as well as one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence.
Lindsey, 58, said: ‘I’ve been in Epping for 17 years and my daughter goes to the school behind here (the hotel) and also the same school where the poor girl was attacked.
‘We have been uncomfortable. There are 140 men who are there. This is a small town, people talk and hear stuff all the time. In big cities those things can get flushed away and airbrushed out but here we hear more.
‘And we are terrified. Ive been here everyday and we are just mums in sundresses, facing up against police in masks and weapons.
‘At this point the hotel needs to be closed. And the people sent somewhere where they are not free to roam around before they can be vetted.
‘People think this is only about racism but it has nothing to do with race. You can be whatever colour, they could be Scottish people in there but until we know who is in our town they are not welcome. They must be vetted.’
Hazel, who has lived in Epping for 21 years, said: ‘I want them out. It’s just ridiculous. I have grandchildren. I have a 10-year-old grandson.
‘Its absolutely vile what’s happening – you can just see what happened to that girl. It’s happening all over the country.
‘They are coming over by the thousands on boats and they are all young men.
‘There must be an agenda with the government to keep them there. They need to stop it now. I hope we are listened to.
‘I hope they remove them and don’t place them in another community. Send them back.’
This is a breaking story, more to follow…
