Essex politicians call for meeting with Home Secretary over asylum-seeker hotel
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Five local political leaders have urged the Home Secretary to make a hotel housing asylum seekers in Essex a 'priority for urgent closure', citing community tensions that have put a strain on policing.
The signatories have requested a meeting with Yvette Cooper to discuss the continued use of The Bell Hotel in Epping to house migrants.
Essex Police said 14 people have been charged in connection with protests at the site and there have been 23 arrests.
Multiple demonstrations have been held outside The Bell Hotel since July 13 after an asylum-seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, who was charged with sexual assault, denies the charges.
He is due to stand trial in August.
Concerns about the use of The Bell Hotel to house asylum-seekers have been expressed in an open letter sent to the Home Secretary on Wednesday.
The signatories are: Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex; Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest; Alex Burghart, MP for Brentwood and Ongar; Cllr Christopher Whitbread, Leader of Epping Forest District Council and Cllr Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council.
In the letter, the politicians argue that housing migrants at the site is 'proving to be entirely unsuitable and… placing an unsustainable strain on police resources'.
They added that this is 'creating significant community tension, and leading to public disorder that is unacceptable to our residents and deeply concerning for the safety of all involved'.
The letter continued that 'large-scale protests and counter-protests' on several days saw 'more than 2,000 people attending across all dates'.
'During these events, eight Essex Police officers have been injured — one requiring hospitalisation after being struck in the face with a bottle,' the letter said.
'Officers from neighbouring forces have been brought in to support our local resources.
'This simply cannot continue.
'While we respect the public's right to peaceful protest, the level of violence now seen on Epping's streets is alarming.'
They say that the police deployments at the hotel are 'putting our ability to maintain public safety at risk'.
'We support the Home Office's wider objective of reducing reliance on hotels and are keen to work with you,' the letter said.
'However, we urge you to accelerate this process and make The Bell Hotel in Epping a priority for urgent closure.
'It is vital that this location be reconsidered considering the operational realities on the ground.
'We urge that The Bell Hotel be made a priority for urgent decommissioning.'
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