THE dad of a girl allegedly sexually assaulted by an asylum seeker wants the hotel where the migrant stayed to be shut down, a councillor has claimed.
This week Epping in Essex, and later Canary Wharf in London, have been torn apart by protests in a row over taxpayer-funded asylum seeker hotels.
The disorder began outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, where anti-migrant protests erupted following an alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.
Father’s Plea to Council
Conservative councillor Shane Yerrell read out a letter he claimed was from the teenage girl’s father at a council meeting on Thursday.
The Telegraph reported the letter as saying: “I just want the hotel to be moved, not only off our streets, but away from making any other family feel how we’re feeling right now. It’s not fair that the Government are putting our children and grandchildren at risk, even their own.”
The dad thanked those in Epping for “kind messages” that are “helping [my daughter] get through every day”. He also condemned the violence at protests, stating: “I do not want or condone any of the violence that has taken place at the protests – that’s not what we’re about, and that’s not what we’re trying to achieve – it’s only going to make things go the other way.”
This is the first time the girl’s family has spoken out on the disorder, and the council voted unanimously in favour of closing down the hotel.
Asylum Seeker Charged
The Bell Hotel has housed migrants since 2020. Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was charged with the assault days after arriving in the UK on a small boat.
Kebatu, 38, denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford magistrates’ court. He has been charged with sexual assault after allegedly attempting to kiss the 14-year-old girl and will stand trial in August.
Council Leader’s Warning
The Conservative leader of Epping Forest District Council, Chris Whitbread, said: “I am concerned that our residents’ peaceful protests are being infiltrated on the extremes of politics. I’m worried that Epping will become a focus and a battleground for the agendas of those extremist groups and they will continue to stoke tensions as part of their wider campaigns.”
Whitbread described the situation as a “powder keg” and told BBC Newsnight: “I understand families who are deeply upset by what’s happened and I really get it, but I understood it before and that’s why from day one Epping Forest District Council had a position of this was the wrong location for this hotel.
Violent Clashes and Police Response
On Thursday, a crowd of 200 protesters gathered outside The Bell Hotel to express their discontent with it being used to house migrants. They wore signs and t-shirts with slogans displayed on them while chanting “save our kids” in the heavy rain.
Officers from at least six forces outside of the county attended to try and keep the peace – and Essex Police have come under heavy criticism.
One person was arrested for breaching an order in place that prevents anyone from wearing a face covering. A total of 16 arrests were made following disorder outside the same hotel last week, and six have been charged.
The protest, outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, began peacefully but escalated into what officers described as “scattered incidents of violence” targeting police and property. Eight officers were injured and a number of police vehicles were damaged as missiles were thrown.
The unrest saw yobs launching themselves on riot vans, smashing windshields and ripping off wingmirrors in senseless displays of “hooliganism”. One thug was even run over while attempting to stop a police van gaining access to the hotel. Another man had his teeth knocked out after riot cops smashed a shield into his face in a brutal clash.
£100,000 Policing Cost
Since tensions reached boiling point, violent demonstrations have cost the force £100,000.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: “We’d promised that we’d continue our investigations into the unacceptable actions of a small number of people who chose to take advantage of peaceful protest to try to cause harm to people in Epping or to property. We’ve been analysing footage and we have investigators and trained detectives working on this operation.”
We are identifying suspects and there will be more arrests in the coming days. Put simply: If you turn up to try to cause trouble, you won’t get away with it.”
Controversy Over Police Tactics
It comes after the Chief Constable of Essex Police refused to resign after footage seemingly showed officers escorting pro-migrant activists to the asylum seeker hotel.
Essex Police had initially denied it brought demonstrators from Stand Up to Racism to the Bell Hotel in Epping before clashes with anti-migrant protesters last Sunday. While accepting it provided a “foot cordon”, the force has denied claims it specifically “bussed” the counter-protesters to the hotel.
Essex Police are continuing to face heavy scrutiny over its handling of the protests. A spokesperson for the force added: “Misinformation has circulated online suggesting we “bussed in” counter protestors during a recent protest in Epping on Thursday 17 July. This is categorically untrue.”
Unrest Spreads to Canary Wharf
It comes as barriers are blocking off entry to a four-star hotel being converted to house asylum seekers. The 500-room Britannia Hotel in London’s Canary Wharf is currently preparing for migrants to arrive.
Photos showed new beds and mattresses being unloaded and carried into the four star hotel in the heart of the capital’s swanky docklands, and where rooms can typically cost up to £469 a night.
False rumours spread online suggested it was being used for migrants being moved from The Bell Hotel. Asylum seekers are not being removed from The Bell Hotel in Epping,” a Home Office spokesperson said.
A spokesman for Tower Hamlets council said: “We are aware of the Government’s decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel. We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.
The Home Office has reserved more than 400 beds at the Britannia International Hotel, agreeing a deal for £81 per night for each migrant who stays there. It has been confirmed that no asylum seekers are currently living there.
The Home Office reserves beds in empty hotel rooms in case of a surge in crossings over the summer period. Home Office sources revealed to The Sun that the average cost per night for a hotel room for a migrant is now £118.87, down from £162.16 in March 2023.
Housing asylum seekers in hotels costs the taxpayer £5.77million a day.
‘A Crisis That Has Reached Boiling Point’
The “powder keg” this week has prompted fears of another summer of rioting in the UK – with cops worried that they could see similar scenes to that of disorder in the wake of misinformation over the Southport killer being a migrant.
Conservative MP Dr Neil Hudson warned that the disorder is a “crisis that has reached boiling point.
Sir Keir Starmer released a statement in response to the growing tensions.
“Well, I think it’s obviously important that communities know that we are working to reduce the number of asylum hotels,” said the PM’s spokesperson.
That is a clear government policy. But it’s also important that legitimate protest doesn’t cross over into something else, and we would always hope that communities would respect that.”
“But we are, and I think the Prime Minister is on record as saying, about the need to cut migration, both lawfully and illegal migration, and that is something that you’re seeing in working on tirelessly over the last year, whether it be the agreement with the French last week or the agreement with the German government yesterday, that is a priority for this government.”
“It is something that requires international solutions, and that is why you’re seeing this flurry of activity from this government to tackle these gangs from every possible angle.”
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