Labour faced mounting pressure last night to shut the asylum hotel at the centre of angry protests.
But ministers stayed silent as senior Tories joined demands for migrants to be removed from The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, over ‘legitimate’ concerns about crime.
As frustrated organisers of the growing demonstrations said they would not stop until it was closed, fresh clashes broke out outside the hotel yesterday, despite a heavy police presence to separate rival groups of protesters.
The demonstrations were triggered after Ethiopian man Hadush Kebatu was charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl just days after he arrived in Britain in a Channel dinghy.
Police chiefs have already described the unrest at The Bell as a ‘signal flare’ for another summer of disorder.
Epping Council voted unanimously last week to urge the Government to close it. But Treasury minister James Murray refused to comment yesterday when asked why the Government has not listened to the demands.
He told Sky News: ‘I’m not going to comment on specific cases, but I do understand people’s frustration.
‘And whilst, obviously, there can never be any place for criminal violence, there’s absolutely a right for people to protest about this.’
Fresh clashes broke out outside the hotel on Sunday, despite a heavy police presence to separate rival groups of protesters
The demonstrations were triggered after Ethiopian man Hadush Kebatu was charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl just days after he arrived in Britain. Pictured: three protesters draped in English flags look through the protective fencing
Treasury minister James Murray (pictured) refused to comment when asked why the Government has not listened to the demands to close the hotel
It came after polling found that immigration has overtaken the economy to become voters’ biggest concern about the country after the NHS.
The survey by Opinium found 49 per cent of people put immigration among their top three concerns – a seven-point increase since May.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer could also come under pressure to act from Donald Trump when they meet in Scotland today, after the US President said he had ‘sealed our borders’ in America and urged Europe to follow suit.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Mail: ‘Ministers must recognise the strength of feeling from the public about this hotel, listen to their genuine and real concerns, and shut it down.
‘The Government has lost control of our borders. They need to listen to the public anger on this issue and deport all illegal immigrants immediately upon arrival.
‘I am furious we are being overwhelmed by illegal immigrants. What has happened at The Bell is a consequence of that.’
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch said ‘agitators’ were coming in to whip up trouble, telling GB News: ‘The Conservatives have been calling for that hotel to be closed down, because you have to show people there is a response when they have legitimate concerns.’
Roger Hirst, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, demanded an urgent meeting with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper today to close The Bell, which he said was an inappropriate location for asylum seekers and was costing his force ‘hundreds of thousands of pounds’ in overtime.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called for ministers to ‘recognise the strength of feeling from the public about this hotel’ and shut it down
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said ‘agitators’ were coming in to whip up trouble as she reiterated that her party had called for the hotel to be closed
Kebatu, 38, is due to be tried for allegedly trying to kiss a schoolgirl as she ate pizza in Epping on July 7, eight days after he arrived in the UK. He denies sexual assault, inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and a charge of harassment.
There were more ugly scenes outside The Bell yesterday when up to 1,000 demonstrators clashed.
Around 400 protesting against the migrants – mostly locals – gathered after lunch, with counter-protesters, including of pro-Palestine groups and trade unions, arriving at around 4pm, and staying for barely an hour.
Despite police from 31 forces including Merseyside and Lancashire separating them, at least three people were arrested.
Sarah White, 40, who organised the protest against the hotel, said: ‘We won’t stop. Today has been a great opportunity for our voices to be heard. We’ve got the message out there that we don’t want these hotels.
‘This, I think, has been the biggest – there’s more to come. We need to feel safe – we don’t currently. It’s shocking. We won’t stop until that hotel is closed.’
Counter-protesters, including pro-Palestine groups and trade unions, arrived outside the hotel at approximately 4pm and stayed for around an hour
Despite police from 31 forces including Merseyside and Lancashire separating protesters and counter-demonstrators, at least three people were arrested
Maureen Chapman, 73, said she felt ‘under threat’, adding: ‘I have grandchildren living locally. We want this closed and we won’t stop until it is.
‘These people moaning, would they want it at the end of their street?’
The Home Office said: ‘The Government is reducing expensive hotel use as part of a complete overhaul of the asylum system.
‘From over 400 asylum hotels in summer 2023, costing almost £9million a day, there are now less than 210. We want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.
‘People rightly want to see a robust and effective asylum system and we have a duty to support people who would otherwise be destitute and sleeping rough while their case is decided.’
