The thin blue line is being crossed by those stirring up trouble for political gain

When I see the images coming out of the protests in Epping, I see homemade cardboard placards with slogans such as “Save Our Kids”, “Protect Our Kids”, “I’m not far right - I’m worried about my kids”.

- SEAN O'GRADY

Fair enough. These seem to be local folk, and they’re concerned about what’s been going on around the Bell Hotel, which has been requisitioned by the Home Office to house some asylum seekers. Much of the activity there seems genuine.

The fact is that an irregular migrant has been charged with certain offences: three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence.

Essex Police now face an impossible job, and are perfectly open about this. Superintendent Tim Tubbs has said that the “impact on the community is not lost on me”. The police have stepped up patrols and have belatedly issued a dispersal order that gives officers the power to tell anyone suspected of committing or planning antisocial behaviour to leave the area, or else face arrest.

Some local residents have demanded that the hotel be closed, and have been making their feelings known on the street for the best part of two weeks now.

That is their right. They can, if they want, shout “paedo protectors!” at police officers, despite the man in question having pleaded not guilty. What they don’t have a right to do is to attack the police and cause affray and disorder. Yet that seems to be the attraction for many who have descended on this normally quiet corner of Essex, as well as at sites in London and Norfolk, to cause trouble and give the impression that there’s some sort of political revolution - a fascist revolution - afoot.