Hundreds gather again in Epping as anti-migrant rallies spread

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside a hotel in Epping for the fifth time yesterday to demonstrate against it being used to house asylum seekers, as protests spread to other hotels.

- Alexandra Topping Ben Quinn

A large police presence restricted their contact with counter-protesters. Essex police said restrictions were needed after what it described as repeated serious disruption, violence and harm to the community since the first demonstration took place on 13 July.

Two men were charged with public order offences after about 400 anti-immigration and 250 counter-protesters demonstrated outside a hotel in Diss, on Saturday, Norfolk constabulary said. There was a further protest outside a hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, with turnout appearing to be in the low hundreds.

The Epping demonstrations started after an asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault for allegedly trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Hadush Kebatu, 41, from Ethiopia, denies the offences and is in custody.