{"id":33584,"date":"2025-07-24T19:38:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T19:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/council-meets-to-urge-government-to-close-epping-asylum-hotel\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T19:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T19:38:15","slug":"council-meets-to-urge-government-to-close-epping-asylum-hotel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/council-meets-to-urge-government-to-close-epping-asylum-hotel\/","title":{"rendered":"Council meets to urge government to close Epping asylum hotel"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Danny Fullbrook<\/span><\/p>\n

BBC News, Essex<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Peter Walker<\/span><\/p>\n

BBC News, Essex<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"PetePete Walker\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Police officers maintain a presence outside Epping Forest District Council offices as a meeting about the unrest takes place<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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A council is meeting to discuss a motion to urge the government to close a hotel housing asylum seekers after a series of public demonstrations.<\/p>\n

The number of people arrested after unrest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping has risen to 16 – in the wake of protests on 13, 17 and 20 July.<\/p>\n

At a packed and often heated public meeting on Thursday, the Conservative leader of Epping Forest District Council, Chris Whitbread, said: “I am concerned that our residents’ peaceful protests are being infiltrated on the extremes of politics.”<\/p>\n

A large group of people has begun gathering outside the council offices – and a “peaceful” protest is taking place at the Bell Hotel, police said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The force also warned that people who wear face coverings would be asked to remove them and those who refused would be arrested.<\/p>\n

In a statement it said: “Our priority is keeping Epping safe. We’re here to support peaceful protest \u2013 but we will not tolerate criminal behaviour.”<\/p>\n

Whitbread told the meeting: “Epping will become a focus and a battleground for the agendas of those extremist groups and they will continue to stoke tensions as part of their wider campaigns.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"PAPA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The number of people arrested in connection with unrest at the Epping hotel rose from 10 on Wednesday to 16 on Thursday<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Action has been staged at the hotel since a man living there was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.<\/p>\n

Hadush Kebatu, 41, from Ethiopia, has denied the offences and remains on remand in custody.<\/p>\n

Whitbread added: “The majority of Epping residents are peaceful while concerned that lasting harm is being done to our community.<\/p>\n

“Since it was first occupied during the pandemic this council has consistently maintained this hotel is the wrong location.<\/p>\n

“It is occupied often by vulnerable people and there are not the facilities here to support them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"EssexEssex Police<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Essex Police released drone footage of crowds gathering in Epping on 17 July<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Of the 16 arrested, six people have been charged with offences including violent disorder, criminal damage and refusing to remove a face covering.<\/p>\n

A dispersal order was imposed until 08:00 BST on Friday in response to further planned protests.<\/p>\n

It gave officers extra powers to direct people to leave the area or face arrest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"PAPA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

There has been a heavy police presence during the protests in recent days <\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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\"NadiraNadira Tudor\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Protesters gathered outside the Bell Hotel on Thursday evening<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Reaction from Epping residents has been divided, with some feeling the protests are justified while others told the BBC they felt uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

A 53-year-old man called Jason, who declined to share his surname, said the protests had been “a long time coming”.<\/p>\n

He continued: “I don’t think the violence is justified, I don’t think that the police help the situation by going in mob handed but they’ve got to do their job.<\/p>\n

“People are angry, so they’re going to react\u2026 I think the people here are justified in being angry.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"NadiraNadira Tudor\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

People refusing to wear face coverings have been warned they could be arrested<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Supermarket worker Tilly Nelson argued that social media has fuelled some of the protesting, helped spread misinformation and turned the protests into an event.<\/p>\n

She said: “It’s like a social gathering to come together to put their mask on and have a go at the police.”<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old said she has had only positive interactions with some of the men who live at the hotel, who she describes as “the politest people”.<\/p>\n

She shared concerns the “narrative has completely changed”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


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