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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Joe Hadden

Two more men charged over Epping migrant hotel disorder

Police officers outside the former Bell Hotel in Epping (Yui Mok/PA) - (PA Wire)

Two men have been charged in connection with disorder outside a migrant hotel.

It brings the total number of people charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after protests in Epping, Essex, to 11.

Charlie Land, 23, and Luke Fleming, 21, were arrested earlier on Sunday and have since been charged with violent disorder.

Land was also charged with criminal damage.

Protesters outside the former Bell Hotel in Epping (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)

Both will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

In a statement on Sunday night, Essex Police said 25 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, and a total of 16 people have now been charged.

The charges came after weeks of protests outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, which is used to house asylum seekers.

Demonstrations began on July 13 after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, denies sexual assault and is due to stand trial this month.

Essex Police had recently put dispersal orders in place ahead of some protests, giving officers powers to direct anyone suspected of committing anti-social behaviour to leave the area.

The force has also used Section 60AA orders to prevent people from wearing face coverings.

A group of protesters demonstrating outside the Bell Hotel on Sunday night did so peacefully, the force said.

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “I want to thank those who attended for the peaceful nature of this evening’s protest.

“Our role is to ensure that you can do so safely and lawfully, without being stopped by those trying to disrupt it.

“Today’s two arrests are the latest in our ongoing work to identify and locate those who have brought crime to Epping while other protested peacefully.

“We will be making more arrests in the coming days.”

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