Met Police surround Canary Wharf hotel amid protest as asylum seekers housed there
Metropolitan Police officers were seen guarding the Britannia International Hotel on Marsh Wall, Canary Wharf on Tuesday night.
The force was contacted for comment.
Tower Hamlets Council said: 'We are aware of the Government's decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers.
'It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel.
'We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.'
Footage on social media shows eggs had being thrown. A police helicopter was seen in the skies above.
It is claimed some migrants had been bussed to the capital from the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which has seen violent disorder over the past week.
Trouble started after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexual assaulting a 14-year-old girl by attempting to kiss her.
Journalist Matt Capon wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'Following news that the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf is now housing illegal immigrants, a group of protesters has gathered outside.
'There's a significant police presence here, but that's hardly surprising given what happened in Epping last Thursday night.'
Following news that the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf is now housing illegal immigrants, a group of protesters has gathered outside. There's a significant police presence here, but that's hardly surprising given what happened in Epping last Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/X5ZFzlKlC1
— Matt Capon (@MattLCapon) July 22, 2025
Reform UK chief whip Lee Anderson added in a video caption from the scene: 'Canary Wharf.
'The International Hotel is now in lockdown as they prepare for an influx of illegal migrants. 500 rooms here. What are we playing at?'
Essex Police said protests at the Bell began peacefully but 'escalated to the point of disorder and criminal damage'.
Jonathan Glover, 47, of Springfields, Waltham Abbey, Stuart Williams, 36, of Duck Lane, Thornwood, Epping, Keith Silk, 33, of Torrington Drive, Loughton, and Dean Smith, 51, of Madells, Epping, have been charged with violent disorder and are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 18.
Williams and Smith have been remanded in custody, while Glover and Silk are on conditional bail, the force said.
A fifth man, Joe McKenna, 34, of Highcliffe Road, Wickford, is charged with failing to remove a face covering when told to do so and remains on bail until a hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on September 24.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: 'As I've consistently said throughout our policing of this matter, this isn't about preventing or limiting people's lawful right to express their views and protest.
'Those who exercise this right in a peaceful manner have nothing to worry about.
'This is about preventing violent disorder and keeping the public safe.
'We will not hesitate to make arrests when criminality takes place.
'We remain impartial at all times and have legal responsibilities to ensure peaceful protest is facilitated.
'Our priority during the policing of each protest is the safety of everyone there, and we've used tried and tested public order tactics to achieve this.'
The officer said on Monday that the cost of policing the incidents in Epping over the last week had reached £100,000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
25 minutes ago
- CNN
Andrew Cuomo launches his rebrand: More vertical videos and selfies, less ‘being nice'
People in sports Social media Food & drinkFacebookTweetLink Follow Andrew Cuomo says he's done being nice. In the 10 days since announcing he would pursue an independent bid for New York City mayor, Cuomo has acknowledged the mistakes that led to his stunning Democratic primary loss to state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. And he is trying to prove he can turn the race around before November by rebooting his campaign. Cuomo is trying to demonstrate that he's going to be a different candidate as he hopes to keep donors on board and appeal to Democrats and independents who might be uncomfortable with backing Mamdani, a democratic socialist. Some of his changes are easy to spot. Others are subtler. Cuomo was hard to find in the primary, often dodging reporters who wanted to ask about the sexual harassment allegations and complaints about his handling of Covid-19 that preceded his resignation as governor. Now, he's doing on one-on-one interviews with the city's press corps at traditional campaign spots like subway stations. He's also sitting for podcast interviews where he's explaining what he thinks he did wrong in the primary. Long known for his brash style, short temper and bullying tactics, Cuomo said he had adopted a 'softer' approach during the primary campaign that did not work. 'So much for being nice, that's what I say,' Cuomo told Stephen A. Smith during a recent podcast interview. Cuomo said he'll bring back more of his old style. Perhaps most importantly, he said, he'll call out what he describes as unrealistic ideas from Mamdani, who has proposed freezing hikes on rent-controlled apartments, opening city-run grocery stores and making public buses free. 'Those slick slogans that sound good – everything free. Free buses, free education, free food, everything free. BS, everything is free? If it sounds too good to be true, it isn't.' Cuomo told Smith. Cuomo did attack Mamdani's ideas as unrealistic during their primary debates. Cuomo has a lifelong history with Democratic politics. He is a son of Gov. Mario Cuomo, who joined President Bill Clinton's Cabinet before being elected New York attorney general and then governor three times. 'Mamdani is on the Democratic line but he's a socialist. I'm on the independent line but I am a Democrat. The politics nowadays are topsy-turvy; that's what we're seeing in this election,' Cuomo said on Smith's podcast. It will be an uphill battle given the city's overwhelming number of Democratic voter registrations and Mamdani's popularity among young New Yorkers who were central to his candidacy. Despite having a significant share of the establishment support that has started to line up behind Mamdani, Cuomo is now dismissing that same establishment as reactionary. 'A lot of the voters are knee-jerk; 'I vote for the Democrat.' A lot of the Democratic institutions, the unions, etc., they just knee-jerk go with the Democrat,' Cuomo told Smith. Notably, some key establishment Democrats have not endorsed Mamdani, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a Brooklyn district. After Cuomo said he would 'hit the streets' and meet voters 'where they are' in his campaign relaunch video, more footage has popped up on his campaign feeds. There is even a hint of trial and error. A recent video was quickly panned in the comments and subsequently reposted by Mamdani supporter accounts who mocked the audio quality of the video because it drowned out Cuomo's voice. Newer videos show Cuomo wearing a wireless microphone as he makes small talk and asks voters what their concerns are. The videos specifically show him speaking with New Yorkers inside restaurants and diners, chatting with a butcher on the Upper West Side, walking the streets of Staten Island by way of the Staten Island ferry, sampling prosciutto, visiting senior centers and the inside of restaurant kitchens. The choices of people in the video seem intentional. So far, the videos showcase Cuomo before his target voters – upper middle class, White ethnic New Yorkers in parts of Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as older Black voters. Great day in the Bronx talking to New Yorkers about the housing crisis and how we can work to make the City more affordable for all 'We're talking about our problems; one of the big ones is affordable housing,' Cuomo says in a video as he walks around Co-Op City in the Bronx. The sprawling, 15,000-unit housing cooperative is the largest in the nation and home to mostly Black New Yorkers. Mamdani's team – credited by both allies and enemies for its use of social media – has brushed off what it sees as an attempt at mimicry. 'We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in carhartt. By next week, he'll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,' the campaign wrote in a post on X. (Adeni chai is Yemeni milk tea; khaliat al nahl is an Arab pastry.) Cuomo previously tried to present himself as the only leader who could protect the city during President Donald Trump's second term in office. Now, as he looks to November and trying to draw conservatives to his independent bid, that message appears to be in the back seat. Instead, Cuomo has focused his attacks on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, describing him as 'unelectable,' and on Mamdani, casting his potential mayoralty as a time that will ruin New York. 'It would be devastating to New York City, and it would take a decade to recover,' Cuomo told Smith. While Cuomo attacks Adams, he is also pushing a proposal that would require any independent and the Republican nominee to drop out by September and endorse whoever is polling highest. So far, Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have refused that idea, setting up a split contest that could benefit Mamdani by dividing his opposition.
Bloomberg
25 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Wells Fargo Targeted by Climate Protests in San Francisco, NYC
Dozens of climate and human-rights activists gathered at the main offices of Wells Fargo & Co. in San Francisco and New York to protest the bank's policies related to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion. About eight people were arrested on Wednesday for trespassing at the company's headquarters in downtown San Francisco, according to a police lieutenant who was at the scene. In New York, roughly 20 protesters rallied outside of Wells Fargo's offices in Hudson Yards, about 10 of whom attempted unsuccessfully to get into the building.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Man with gun tattoo and scar on his face escapes prison
A manhunt is underway after a man with links to Merseyside escaped prison. Police announced Anton Newell escaped HMP Springhill between 8.30am and 10.30am this morning, July 23, and remains unlawfully at large. The 36-year-old, originally from Isleworth in Middlesex, is described as a black man, around 6ft in tall, of thin build, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He has a "C" shaped scar on his left cheek, a scar on his neck and a scar on his right wrists. He has a tattoo of two guns on his right shoulder. He has connections to the Islington area of London, but has connections to the Merseyside and West Midlands areas. READ MORE: Man found dead at train station car park READ MORE: He thought they were his new friends but I have to live with what they did to him every day Detective Sergeant Matthew French, of Thames Valley Police, said: 'We are appealing for the public's help in tracing Newell. 'We would strongly advice members of the public not to approach him but to call 999 if they see him. 'If you have information as to his whereabouts then please call 101 quoting reference 43250369549'. For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Join the Liverpool ECHO Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community to receive the latest news straight to your phone by clicking here. Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here
