Police introduce fresh restrictions in Epping as asylum protests continue
Camoaigners have been gathering outside the Bell Hotel, after the Court of Appeal lifted an injunction blocking asylum seekers from staying there
Last updated 31st Aug 2025
Police have restrictions to manage a fresh protest outside a hotel in Essex, which is at the centre of a legal row over immigration.
A temporary injunction granted to Epping Forest District Council which would have required the removal of asylum seekers from the Bell Hotel was overturned by the Court of Appeal following an application from the hotel's owners and the Home Office.
Since then several rallies have been held in response to the decision.
On Friday night three men were arrested during a protest at the site - and two of them were later charged. Two police officers managing crowds who'd gathered were injured.
Five people were arrested yesterday (Saturday 30th August 2025) after a group of masked men attempted to enter a hotel in London as anti-asylum protests continued across the country.
Essex Police say those who plan to attend a demonstration and counter-rally outside the Bell Hotel in Epping today need to abide by the following rules.
- Under Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986, any procession between Theydon Road and Lindsey Street must follow a route from the Civic Centre to The Bell Hotel via High Road and High Street, Epping, and no vehicles can form any part of the procession unless specifically authorised.
- Any procession must walk in the direction of the regular traffic flow and not impede traffic flow in the opposite direction.
- The procession must not cause obstruction to emergency access routes.
- Any banners or signs on display must not contain offensive or inflammatory language.
- All procession activity must not begin before 2pm and must end by 8pm on Sunday 31 August.
- Under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, any public assembly in the vicinity of the Bell Hotel must take place on the south side of the B1393 High Road, Epping, opposite the hotel, behind the area marked off by metal fencing. No protest activity can take place in the road (B1393) or obstruct access to premises and any banners or signs must not contain offensive or inflammatory language.
- Under Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, officers will also have an additional power to require the removal of face coverings. This order is in place in the area shown in the map. Anyone who does not remove a covering when asked is at risk of arrest. It is in place for up to 24 hours.
Essex Police: Restrictions in place to prevent serious disruption
Assistant chief constable Stuart Hooper said: “These restrictions are in place to prevent serious disruption to the lives of our Epping residents, which remains at the forefront of our minds, as well as to prevent serious disorder, to prevent serious violence and to prevent serious damage to property.
“The restrictions allow anyone present to lawfully protest to do so within a six-hour window and within sight and sound of the Bell Hotel.
“We’ve consistently said that we will always seek to facilitate lawful protest but that does not include a right to commit crime, and we’ll take a firm approach to anyone intent on doing that.
“And to reiterate to the public, the strength of feeling in Epping is not lost on me – or anyone in Essex Police – and I would urge anyone who wants to make their voices heard to please do that peacefully and within the parameters outlined.”
Row over UK's immigration policies continues
A Cabinet minister has accused Reform UK of stoking tensions over asylum hotels as protests continue.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said "whipping up anger" serves the political interests of Nigel Farage's party.
Deputy Reform UK leader Richard Tice said it is "ridiculous" to suggest the party supports anything other than lawful, peaceful protests.
Ms Phillipson said she understands people's frustration at the use of hotels, but the Government has to phase out their use in an "orderly" manner.
She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: "I understand the frustration that people feel, because I understand when they see, for example, asylum hotels and big numbers of people in their community, I understand how that can make people feel.
"Of course, there can be no excuse for what is rightful protest, overstepping the mark.
"But Nigel Farage and Reform, they don't actually want to sort this problem. It's in their interests... he thinks their political interests are served by whipping up anger rather than fixing problems."
An interim injunction which would have required the asylum seekers to leave the Bell Hotel was overturned after the Government won an appeal, but critics accused the Home Office of putting the rights of migrants over local people.
Ms Phillipson said: "It is about a balance of rights. When people come to this country and claim asylum, we have a responsibility as a Government to assess their cases and to process them."
But she said "our responsibility to those who live locally is also important as well".
Appearing after Ms Phillipson on the Sky News programme, Mr Tice was asked if he could be clear there has been "no encouragement" from the party to "the sort of person who wants to break into asylum hotels in masks and to intimidate asylum seekers".
Mr Tice said it was an "outrageous suggestion", adding: "Of course we're not suggesting that.
"We've always suggested lawful, peaceful protest, nothing else."
The Conservatives plan to force a vote in Parliament on giving local authorities more say in decisions about accommodating asylum seekers in hotels or shared housing.
The amendments set to be tabled in the Lords to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would ensure local communities are consulted before properties are converted to house asylum seekers as part of the planning process.
Conservatives leader Kemi Badenoch said by appealing in the Epping case, "Keir Starmer showed he prioritised the rights of illegal immigrants over the rights of the British people".
She added: "With this amendment, Starmer and Labour are going to have to decide again whether they will continue to ride roughshod over communities as they push asylum hotels into Britain's towns and cities."
New figures from the Home Office show nobody crossed the English Channel on a small boat yesterday.
It marks the fourth day in a row where there've been no crossings.