
UK prosecutors say rocks, eggs thrown at police during asylum hotel protests
More than 100 protesters — some wearing British flags and releasing red, white and blue smoke — gathered at the Bell Hotel, in Epping Forest, on Sunday as demonstrators gathered to vent their anger after a man was arrested in the area on suspicion of sexual assault.
Chanting 'save our kids" and 'send them home," the demonstration escalated, with projectiles thrown at police vans blocking the entrance. Officers escorted a counter-protester from the area after demonstrators surrounded her.
A similar protest took place last Thursday.
'Disappointingly, we have seen yet another protest, which begun peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle," Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow of the Essex Police said in a statement on Monday. 'For anyone who thinks we will tolerate their thuggery, think again." The protests come amid escalating tensions over the rising number of asylum seekers who are being housed at government expense in hotels around the UK. Those pressures flared into days of rioting last month in Northern Ireland after two teenagers were arrested on charges of sexual assault.
The attacker was a 17-year-old who was born in the UK to parents from Rwanda and was not an asylum seeker, as had been rumoured.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has acknowledged concerns about immigration and made tackling irregular migration a priority.
As Parliament debated the unrest in Epping Forest on Monday, Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said there was no justification for the violence.
'Violent disorder is not a symptom, violent disorder is criminal," she said. 'It's thuggery, it's attacks on our police officers. It should be prosecuted, and people should face the full consequences of the law." Prior to Sunday's protests, local police had issued an order allowing them to force demonstrators to remove face coverings. They later ordered demonstrators to leave the area around the hotel. That dispersal order remained in effect until 4 am Monday.
The demonstration came after eight police officers were injured on Thursday after a peaceful protest escalated into violence. Police blamed the violence on people from outside the community who 'arrived at the scene intent on causing trouble." At least nine people have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, including the 33-year-old man who appeared at Southend Magistrate's Court on Monday. He faces one charge of violent disorder and one charge of criminal damage related to the the unrest that broke out on Thursday. He was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court on August 18.
Officers faced 'sustained attacks for over four hours" on Thursday, prosecutors said.
The protests outside the hotel were triggered by the arrest of a 38-year-old asylum seeker who was charged with sexual assault after he allegedly attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl. The man, who denies the charges, was remanded into custody following a court appearance on July 10.
'We don't take sides, we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt — plain and simple,"Anslow said. 'I know the people of Essex know what we're about, so I know they won't believe the rubbish circulating online that is designed to do nothing more than inflame tensions and trouble." Epping Forest District Council, which provides local government services in the area, condemned the violence but said it had long opposed the central government's decision to use the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers.
'We have consistently shared concerns with the Home Office that the Bell Hotel is an entirely unsuitable location for this facility and should close," the council's leader, Chris Whitbread, said in a statement last week. 'We continue to press Home Office officials for the immediate closure of the site and are encouraged that our local MPs are now actively supporting our call." (AP) GRS GRS
view comments
First Published:
July 21, 2025, 23:45 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
India secures freer access to UK market in landmark deal
Indian professionals will gain freer access to the UK and British exporters secure easier entry to India's vast market through dramatic tariff cuts under a comprehensive trade deal signed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Keir Starmer on Thursday, hailed by both as a landmark partnership for shared prosperity. Jonathan Reynolds, UK business and trade secretary, Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, Keir Starmer, UK prime minister, and Piyush Goyal, India's commerce and industry secretary, left to right, during a news conference after signing a free trade agreement at Chequers near Aylesbury, UK, on Thursday. (Bloomberg) The pact will boost two-way commerce by $35 billion in the long run and the two sides also unveiled plans to negotiate a Double Contribution Convention (DCC) that exempts employers of Indian workers from paying social security contributions in the UK for three years in what is expected to particularly help finance and technology sector workers. They will also work on a Defence Industrial Roadmap for closer cooperation on military hardware. The DCC will come into force alongside the trade deal. In London, Modi described the deal as 'not just an economic partnership, but a plan for shared prosperity' that will benefit India's youth, farmers, fishermen and MSME sector. Starmer said the agreement is the 'biggest and most economically significant trade deal' concluded by the UK since leaving the European Union (EU) in 2020 and also 'one of the most comprehensive deals' by India. India and Britain finalised the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in May after more than three years of negotiations, and the pact was signed by commerce minister Piyush Goyal and his UK counterpart Jonathan Reynolds during Modi's visit to Britain. With the economic turmoil unleashed by US President Donald Trump's tariffs as the backdrop, both sides overcame long-standing differences on issues such as levies on British alcohol and automobiles, which are set to drop. Duties on British whisky imports drop from 150% to 75% immediately, falling to 40% over 10 years. UK automotive exports will see tariffs reduced from up to 110% to 10% under quota arrangements. The gains for both sides, however, are much broader with the UK eliminating tariffs on 99% of Indian exports (up from roughly 65% that previously enjoyed zero or near-zero duties). Speaking at a media interaction with Starmer, Modi said: 'On the one hand, Indian textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, seafood and engineering goods will get better market access in the UK. New opportunities will be created in the UK market for India's agricultural produce and processed food industry.' He added, 'On the other hand, products made in the UK, such as medical devices and aerospace parts, will be available to the people and industry of India at accessible and affordable rates.' The DCC, Modi said, will give new energy to the services sectors of both sides by boosting the ease of doing business. 'Along with this, the UK economy will get Indian skilled talent,' he said. He added that the deal between two democratic countries and major economies will strengthen global stability and prosperity. Starmer said that apart from benefiting whisky distillers in Scotland and the services sector in London, Manchester and Leeds, the deal will bring down prices on Indian goods such as clothes, shoes and food. 'It will add about £4.8 billion to the UK economy every year and £2.2 billion to wages and hundreds of millions of pounds to regions and nations up and down the UK,' he added. The India-UK Vision 2035, aimed at renewing the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, will serve as a roadmap for a reliable partnership in technology, defence, climate, education and people-to-people connect, Modi said. The two sides will also work to strengthen their Technology Security Initiative, launched a year ago to drive cooperation in telecom, critical minerals, IA, semiconductors, quantum computing and biotech. Key beneficiaries of the deal announced on Thursday include India's textiles and clothing sector, where complete tariff elimination from the current 12% level will enhance competitiveness against Bangladesh and Vietnam. Processed food exporters will see duties fall from as high as 70% to zero on 99.7% of tariff lines, while marine products will enjoy zero duties down from 20%. In the services sector, Indian service providers are expected to benefit from opportunities in the UK, especially in management consultancy, computer-related services and education services. The deal also eases mobility for Indian professionals, including contractual service suppliers working on projects in the UK, yoga instructors and chefs. 'Along with this, the UK economy will get Indian skilled talent,' Modi added. The inclusion of a first-of-its-kind trade and gender chapter in the trade deal is aimed at empowering Indian women and ensuring gender inclusion, with targeted support for women-led enterprises and workers. The FTA excludes India's most sensitive agricultural segments, with no tariff concessions on dairy products, apples, oats and edible oils. These exclusions, the officials said, reflect India's calibrated trade strategy that prioritises food security, domestic price stability and protection of vulnerable farmers. The deal's sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures will help Indian exporters meet British standards and reduce rejections, the officials said. In return, India has reduced average tariffs on UK exports from 15% to 3%. 'Products made in the UK, such as medical devices and aerospace parts, will be available to the people and industry of India at accessible and affordable rates,' Modi said. India-UK trade in goods and services was worth $57.8 billion in 2024, an increase of 8.3% from 2023, with India ranking as Britain's 11th largest trading partner. India's imports from the UK amounted to £17.1 billion while exports to the UK were worth £25.5 billion. Total bilateral trade in goods was worth £17.8 billion, while services trade amounted to £24.8 billion, with India accounting for 2.4% of the UK's total trade. The deal is projected to see India's agricultural exports rise by 20% in the next three years. Officials said the benefits for Indian farmers in UK markets will match or exceed those enjoyed by exporters from Germany, the Netherlands and other EU members. 'This agreement establishes a modern, forward-looking partnership that will stimulate innovation, ease market access and foster investment,' said Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Enterprises and co-chair of the India-UK CEO Forum, who led a 16-member Indian business delegation.


News18
22 minutes ago
- News18
"UK & India Are Natural Partners," Says PM Narendra Modi As He Hails India-UK Trade Deal
The United Kingdom and India have signed a trade agreement that will reduce tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky, cars and spices and allow more market access for Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the agreement on Thursday as a 'landmark moment' for both countries. Starmer hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Chequers country estate, northwest of London, where the UK and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement. News18 Mobile App -


Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India-UK trade pact — a template for deals with America and Europ
On Thursday, India and the UK signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement that has been many years in the making. Leaders of both countries exuded confidence that the agreement would open up markets and bring enormous benefits to their countries. The goal is to double bilateral trade between the nations from roughly $56 billion now. The signing of the deal was accompanied by the unveiling of the UK-India Vision 2035 — which envisages greater engagement in areas such as defence, tech and education, indicating a desire to deepen the relationship between the two countries. Through this trade agreement, said to be one of the most comprehensive deals that Delhi has entered into, India has indicated its willingness to bring down its tariffs substantially as it seeks to integrate more closely with developed countries and encourage more investment into the country. Delhi's high tariff walls have been criticised by others, including the US. The Office of the United States Trade Representative had recently noted that India's average applied tariff rate was 17 per cent, while that on agricultural products was even higher at 39 per cent. As per reports, under this new deal, the average tariffs on British products will fall from 15 per cent to 3 per cent, which could potentially lead to a large increase in UK exports. On the other hand, the agreement paves the way for 'unprecedented duty free access for 99 per cent of India's exports to the UK', covering almost the entire trade basket. This includes labour intensive segments such as textiles, leather, footwear and gems and jewellery, as well as sectors like engineering goods and auto components. Alongside, India has secured significant commitments on services and labour mobility. The agreement increases market access in critical areas such as IT and IT-enabled services as well as financial, legal, professional and educational services. The double contribution convention agreement will help Indian professionals and their employers avoid making social security payments in the UK, thereby bringing down the costs of doing business. The India-UK deal comes at a time when the global trading architecture has been upended by US President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Trump has over the past few days announced new deals with countries such as Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, after similar agreements with Britain and Vietnam, with the tariffs ranging between 10 and 20 per cent. In the case of India, even as talks continue, a deal remains elusive. India is also negotiating a deal with the EU — as this paper has reported, the two sides have agreed to seven out of 23 chapters in the agreement. The deal with the UK could serve as a template for some of the issues, especially the more contentious ones. Delhi must press ahead with these trade agreements as it seeks to integrate with global supply chains more closely.