Cost of policing protests outside hotel ‘housing asylum seekers' hits £100,000
Eight police officers were injured following what started as a peaceful protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Thursday evening.
The latest protest, on Sunday, saw more than 100 demonstrators assemble outside the hotel with some chanting 'save our kids'.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow, of Essex Police, said the cost of policing the incidents in Epping over the last week has reached £100,000.
He said: 'The cost of policing criminal incidents in Epping over the last week has reached £100,000 – money which we would much rather spend on continuing to cut crime across Essex and keeping our neighbourhoods safe.'
A man has appeared before a court and denied a charge of violent disorder following a protest outside the hotel.
Thursday's demonstration was one of a series of protests outside the hotel since asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexual assault following an incident where he is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Kebatu denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Essex Police said six people were arrested on Sunday 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.
Mr Anslow said: 'What we have seen in Epping over the last week is not protest, it's hooliganism and the people responsible for it can expect to be held accountable.
'To those who seek to use social media to peddle untruths and lies about the incidents in Epping on Thursday and Sunday, you won't win.
'The very people you are criticising are police officers who have families, who live in our communities and want to keep them safe.
'These are the same people who have been antagonised with threatening and abusive language, they've had missiles thrown at them and they've been injured.
'Once again, to anyone who somehow thinks we will tolerate this behaviour – think again.
He added: 'We don't take sides; we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt – it really is that simple.
'There continues to be a visible policing presence in Epping today and that will remain in the coming days.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
Evesham attacks on animals with catapult investigated
A teenager has reportedly been using a catapult to hurt animals on a waterway, police were called to Bridge Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, on Tuesday afternoon following the reports anti-social behaviour.A teenage boy was found and searched but no catapult was found, a force spokesperson Lee Baker said they were keen to speak to a teenage boy who was seen wearing a neon pink T-shirt and added that extra patrols would be carried out in the area. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
Doctor suspended for theft cleared to return to work
A Liverpool-based doctor who stole lip fillers and botox from a former employer has been cleared to return to Nimrit Dhillon was suspended in 2023, after being found guilty of taking items from a former employer worth £1, self-referring to the General Medical Council (GMC), she was suspended for eight months following a three-day hearing by the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS).In a reflective statement, made public by the MPTS, Dr Dhillon has since acknowledged her actions were "wholly unacceptable". She said she had used the suspension period "to reflect extensively, to rebuild my ethical understanding and to ensure that I never repeat these mistakes". Documents made public by the MPTS set out how, in May 2023, Dr Dhillon, who runs an aesthetic procedures business in Liverpool, stole Belotero Intense lip fillers and boxes of Bocouture botox worth £450.A week later, she stole a further three 100-unit boxes of botox and one box of 50-unit Belotero Volume dermal fillers, as well as an additional box of botox and fillers, totalling £700 in 8 June 2023, Dr Dhillon took four more boxes of 100-unit botox belonging to Facethetics Training in Aigburth, worth £ was convicted in August the same year. At a hearing last September at Liverpool Magistrates Court. she was sentenced to a 12-month community order, an unpaid work requirement of 200 hours and ordered to pay £1,450 in a reflective statement, made public by the MPTS, Dr Dhillon said she accepted "full responsibility" for her actions."I was dishonest and I stole property," she said."These actions were wholly unacceptable and fell far below the standards expected of any medical added she "deeply regretted" harm caused to colleagues and to "the reputation of the profession, to public trust, and to those who relied on me to act with honesty and integrity".After serving her suspension, it has been confirmed the GMC has revoked any barriers to the University of Leeds graduate returning to GMC and Dr Dhillon agreed in writing, signed by both parties last month, that her fitness to practise is no longer impaired by reason of her conviction, and the suspension imposed should be revoked for the outstanding GMC found "the risk of repetition of the behaviour that led to her conviction is so low as to be negligible". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Leader Live
14 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Starmer hails ‘historic day' as Modi visits for signing of UK-India trade deal
At the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers, Sir Keir said the deal marked a 'step change' in relations. Mr Modi said they were 'writing a new chapter' in the UK and India's shared history. The deal is set to be worth £6 billion in investment from Indian and UK companies into the British economy, and is expected to have a £4.8 billion impact on the UK's gross domestic product (GDP). The two leaders have also agreed to increase efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. Sir Keir said: 'I'm really pleased and privileged to welcome you here today on what I consider to be a historic day for both of our countries, and the delivery of the commitment that we made to each other.' Mr Modi, speaking via a translator, described the UK and India as 'natural partners'. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal then formally signed the trade agreement in the great hall of Chequers. At a joint press conference in the hall, Sir Keir was invited by Mr Modi to visit India in the near future. The Indian prime minister also paid tribute to the British victims of the June plane crash outside of Ahmedabad airport, and described Britons of Indian origin as a 'living bridge' between the two countries. The ongoing England-India Test cricket clash is a 'great metaphor for our partnership', Mr Modi said, adding: 'There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat.' A brief translation error resulted in Sir Keir asking if he needed to repeat a section of his speech. But Mr Modi indicated he understood, with Sir Keir replying: 'I think we understand each other well.' As their statements drew to a close and the two leaders began to leave the room, Mr Modi jokingly asked if Sir Keir would play the grand piano next to them in the room. Sir Keir, who is known to have played several musical instruments including the piano, laughed at the suggestion. The UK-India trade deal is understood to be the largest of its kind for its economic impact on Britain. It will see tariffs on an array of British goods reduced from an average of 15% to 3%, with the aim of boosting the £11 billion of imports into the south Asian nation. Whisky tariffs will be slashed in half and will fall further over successive years, while other industries including soft drinks, cars and cosmetics are also expected to see cheaper duties. The deal is expected to result in 2,200 jobs across the country and £6 billion investment by British and Indian businesses. The UK and India are also bolstering co-operation on tackling corruption, fraud, organised crime and illegal migration, by sharing criminal records and other intelligence. But the deal has not given the UK as much access as it would have liked to India's financial and legal services industries. The agreement promises some benefits for the UK's financial services, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves understood to have pushed on behalf of the sector in discussions with her Indian counterpart. But more wide-ranging access was not agreed, and talks continue on a bilateral investment treaty aimed at protecting British investments in India and vice versa. The two nations also continue to discuss UK plans for a tax on high-carbon industries, which India believes could hit its imports unfairly. Negotiations on the deal began when Boris Johnson was prime minister in 2022, and were concluded in May this year. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said it had only been made possible 'because of Brexit delivered by the Conservatives'. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said that the signing 'sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and remains resolute in its commitment to free and fair trade'. Chief executive Rain Newton-Smith added: 'A trade agreement with India – one of the world's fastest-growing economies – is a springboard for long-term partnership and prosperity. UK firms can take advantage of this new platform to scale, diversify and compete on the global stage.'
