Three arrested after Epping hotel protesters march on council offices

Three people have been arrested after protesters unhappy about a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping marched on the town’s council offices.

Around 200 demonstrators gathered outside the Epping Forest District Council building on Sunday evening, where a woman climbed the steps and unfurled a Union flag.

It comes after the Government won a court challenge on Friday, meaning 138 asylum seekers can continue to be housed at the Bell Hotel in the Essex town.

Two men and one woman were arrested following Sunday’s protest, according to Essex Police.

The force said the woman was arrested at the Civic Centre on suspicion of breaching a Section 14 order that was in place and strongly rejected suggestions she was arrested for flying a Union flag.

One man was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after an emblem was reported to have been set alight.

The arrest is related to an alleged incident on Friday, police said.

Another man was arrested for breaching the Section 14 order after refusing to leave when the protest had ended.

All three remain in custody, the force said on Sunday night.

Earlier in the evening, protesters stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, waving at passing cars that sounded their horns.

Police officers watched on, with more waiting in vans in surrounding roads.

The Bell Hotel became the focal point of several demonstrations and counter-protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: “We know the strength of feeling in Epping regarding a very important issue.

“And to reiterate what we’ve repeatedly said, we always remain impartial – this is the role of policing.

“Turning next to the arrest of a woman shortly after 7.15pm tonight.

“She was arrested on suspicion of breaching a Section 14 order as we sought to de-escalate a highly emotional situation.

“To be very clear, despite suggestions we’ve seen on social media, she was not arrested for flying a Union flag on the Civic Centre.”

Officers issued one man with an order which required him to leave the area immediately and not return, according to the force.

The protest was required to end by 8pm and to not block the road, Essex Police said.

A Section 60AA order was put in place by police giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings and a dispersal order is in place until 6am.