Key facts
- Eight police officers were injured and three vehicles were damaged during an anti-migrant protest in Epping, UK.
- The protest occurred outside a hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers.
- The violence followed the charging of an asylum seeker with sex offenses.
- Police are actively seeking suspects, many of whom are believed to be from outside the local area.
- Far-right groups have been active in sharing information about the protests online.
Police in Epping, southeast England, are hunting suspects following violent anti-migrant protests outside a hotel accommodating asylum seekers. Eight police officers sustained injuries, and three police vehicles were damaged during the unrest. The disturbances erupted after an asylum seeker was charged with multiple sex offenses. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper of Essex Police stated that many of the individuals involved in the violence were not local to Epping and had traveled to the area with the intent to cause criminality. He confirmed that specialist detectives are reviewing body-worn video and CCTV footage to identify those responsible, warning that those involved can expect a police knock on the door. Far-right activists, including Tommy Robinson, have been active on social media, sharing content related to the protests. The charges against the asylum seeker, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, stem from allegations involving a 14-year-old girl. He has pleaded not guilty. The protests are part of a broader wave of anti-immigration demonstrations across the UK, some of which have involved violent disorder, leading to numerous injuries among police officers and arrests. These protests have often focused on hotels used to house asylum seekers and have been linked to far-right groups.