Nine people have been charged following last week’s protests outside an Essex hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers.
Protests outside the Bell Inn hotel in Epping began peacefully but “escalated to the point of disorder and criminal damage”.
Now Essex Police say a total of nine people have now been charged following the force’s continuing investigation into last week’s incidents.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said on Friday: “I’m really grateful to the people of Epping who wanted to make their voices heard yesterday and did so peacefully.
“I’ll take this opportunity to thank them again. As people will have seen, we had a really robust police operation around the protest.
“We wanted to ensure everyone could safely go about their business, minimising disruption, while facilitating peaceful protest.
“We are continuing to investigate those few intent on exploiting peaceful protests to launch assaults on officers, cause criminal damage, or commit disorder.
“They can expect a knock on the door.”
There have been a series of demonstrations outside the hotel since asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexual assault after an incident earlier this month in which he is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Kebatu denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court last Thursday.
The Home Office, meanwhile, has said it is working to close hotels and “restore order” after a council unanimously voted to urge the government to shut a hotel housing asylum seekers following a series of protests around the site.
Further protests took place on the evening of Thursday, July 24, outside the same hotel, and one person was arrested.
Dozens gathered outside the venue – although shortly after 7.30pm, police said the latest demonstration had “so far been peaceful”.
However, an arrest was made over breaching an order in place that prevents anyone from wearing a face covering, Essex Police confirmed.
Some of the protesters could be seen wearing English and Union flags draped over their backs as they stood behind fencing erected outside the hotel.
A large billboard set up behind the fencing also showed English flags with the words ‘Protect Our Kids’.
