Anti-migrant protests outside a London hotel housing asylum seekers turned violent Sunday night, marking the latest escalation in tensions over immigration policies in the UK. Rioters threw bottles and smoke bombs at police officers guarding the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast London, leading to five arrests for "violent disorder."
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow condemned the unrest, stating that a previously peaceful demonstration had devolved into "mindless thuggery," with injuries to officers and damage to police vehicles. Protesters chanted slogans such as "send them home" and displayed banners demanding the expulsion of "foreign criminals," reflecting heightened local anxieties.
The clashes follow sexual assault charges against a 38-year-old asylum seeker accused of attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl, a case he denies. Similar violence erupted last week, leaving eight officers injured, and echoes 2024’s nationwide anti-immigration riots triggered by a Southport stabbing involving a British-born suspect.
Analysts note recurring patterns of unrest linked to asylum housing, including arson attempts in Rotherham last year. With over 1,000 asylum seekers currently housed in hotels across the UK, the government faces mounting pressure to address both security concerns and humanitarian obligations.
