Hundreds of people descended on a hotel housing migrants on Sunday, as protests against taxpayer-funded accommodation for asylum seekers continue to spread across the country.
As many as 500 demonstrators — including families with children — stood outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, with many waving banners with slogans including “British people before boat people”.
But the group was vastly outnumbered by a counter-protest of around 700 people, which was organised by Stand Up To Racism, who loudly chanted “refugees are welcome here” while holding signs that read “stop scapegoating refugees”.
Both protests remained largely peaceful throughout the afternoon, although there were fiery exchanges between rival supporters. {olice later confirmed that three arrests were made.
There was a further protest outside a hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, with the number of participants appearing to be in the low hundreds.
It marked the fifth time that protests have occurred outside The Bell Hotel after an Ethiopian resident was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, who arrived in Britain via small boat on June 29, denies any wrongdoing and remains in custody.
Counter-demonstrators — who also included senior representatives from the National Education Union — marched towards the hotel from Epping Underground Station.
Both groups were separated on Bell Common by mental fencing and a row of officers, some of whom wore riot gear.
As well as Essex Police, officers from the Metropolitan Police, Durham, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, West Midlands, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cheshire, Dyfed-Powys and Hampshire forces were at the scene.
One man was filmed being pinned to the ground by officers and placed inside a police van on Theydon Road.
Activists from far-Right groups, including the Homeland Party, a splinter group to the neo-Nazi Patriotic Alternative, were present.
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Jaymey McIvor, a Reform UK councillor for Ongar, was also among those in attendance, but declined to comment when approached by The Standard.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, previously said he would attend before changing his mind and saying it would not be helpful to the cause.
Lewis Nielson, of Stand Up To Racism, told The Standard: “Our demonstration is an opposition to the far-Right and of unity against scapegoating.
“Any issues of sexual assault and harassment should be taken incredibly seriously. But the reality is these serious issues are being seized on in a hypocritical and cynical way by the far-Right.”
Sabby Dhalu, 46, a convenor with Stand Up To Racism, said recent events in Epping show a “fascist organisation stirring up violence” in the community.
She said: “They're seizing on that in order to stir up racism and violence, and that's very similar to what we saw with the horrific murders and attacks in Southport last year, which ignited a load of rioting by the far-Right who were winding up others to get involved in racist rioting.”
Ed Harlow, vice-president of the NEU, said: “We are the people who look after your children. We are the people who protect your children. We are the people who teach them day in day out. The people up there have no interest in protecting kids.”
He added: “The people crossing the Channel are not the issue and we need to make that very very clear. When our kids are in school they play together, they learn together. They do not see the differences that those people see. They are united. The division comes later in life and it is driven by a broken, wretched ideology.”
"We are the majority, they are the minority and we are here to combat their hatred with love, with tolerance and with an alternative."
— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) July 27, 2025
Ed Harlow, NEU VP brings solidarity to #Epping from teachers. pic.twitter.com/WxiQGvxypT
A father-of-five said his business has been affected because of the ongoing protests.
He said: “There’s been five protests in this area over the last three to four weeks. Never attended. Not left-wing, not right-wing, not anything. I’ve lived in the area for 35 years, I have five children, four girls, one boy.
“I think this is way way over the top. It needs to be correct. I feel sorry for the police. I feel sorry for the actual general public that come out because it is dismayed by the people who come later in the evenings and literally just want to have trouble.
“I don’t think that the people who live in Epping, like myself, deserve the feedback that they’re getting. I believe if there was a conversation between the people that have come down today and the people that are here today… then there would be a resolve.
“I honestly believe the general people that live in the area are genuinely worried about their children. I also believe there may be a small minority of people that have caused the issue in the first place.”
The pro-immigration protesters departed the area at around 4.30pm, walking in the direction of Ivy Chimneys Road and Theydon Bois.
Essex Police imposed a dispersal order from 12pm on Sunday to 8am on Monday, covering the town centre and transport network.
A man, 52, from Loughton was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence. It is understood the arrest was in connection with abuse being shouted towards counter-protesters.
Elsewhere, a woman, 53, also from Loughton, was arrested on suspicion of a racially-aggravated public order offence connected with a previous protest, and it is understood she was part of the protest against the use of the hotel.
Meanwhile, a woman, 27, from Deptford, southeast London was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and a public order offence, and it is understood she was part of the counter-protest.
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“I want to thank those who attended for the peaceful nature of both protests,” said Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow. “I am pleased that today has passed off without incident and I am grateful to our colleagues from other forces for their support.”
Police have now made 21 arrests and charged ten people with disorder since the protests began earlier this month.
At the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, a protester said public anger is being misunderstood.
Kathleen O'Shaughnessy said: “I came over on a boat from Ireland, and we went to work when we got here. We didn't live off the country.
“I can understand why people are really upset. It's not about being racist. I'm not saying people shouldn't be helped, but the way they're going about it is not right.”
Andrew, who lives in the capital, added: "(Canary Wharf) is a very diverse place. We all felt safe here up until recently, this week, when we found out there's going to be undocumented migrants staying in this hotel here.
"If they're going to walking around late at night, the sort of individuals who you might get who are high risk in a hotel like this could potentially target them.
“It's very easy to paint us as a bunch of angry, white British lads who are annoyed with immigration. But honestly, the vast majority of people I know here in London — they're not even from the UK."
Gareth said it was "a sense of duty to my country” which brought him to the rally as he carried a shield bearing St George's Cross.
He said: "When I think of what our ancestors went through to protect this country, like most of the other patriots, I'm not pleased the way it's going and it’s time to take a stand.”
Additional reporting by Georgia Bell,and Megan Howe
