A Labour spokesman hit out at the Conservatives after leader Kemi Badenoch claimed that “Keir Starmer showed he prioritised the rights of illegal immigrants over the rights of the British people,” in appealing the Epping ruling.

They said: “This is rank hypocrisy from a Tory party which actively changed the rules regarding consultation of local authorities on asylum accommodation in March 2020, and went on to increase the number of asylum hotels from 10 at that time to more than 400 three years later.

“During the 10 months that Kemi Badenoch was the Minister for Local Government, the number of asylum hotels went up from 140 to 240, and not a single one of the local authorities she was supposed to represent in Whitehall were asked for permission during that time.”

Protesters unhappy about a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping have marched on the town’s council offices.

Around 200 people gathered outside the Epping Forest District Council building where a woman climbed the steps and unfurled a Union flag.

She was detained by officers after refusing to leave.

Police have issued a dispersal order until 6am.

Earlier in the evening, the protesters stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, waving at passing cars that sounded their horns.

Police officers watched on, with more waiting in vans in surrounding roads.

The Bell Hotel became the focal point of several demonstrations and counter-protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.

Any protest must have ended by 8pm and must not block the road, Essex Police said.

The force has put a Section 60AA order in place giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings.

Somani Hotels, which owns the building, and the Home Office won a challenge against a High Court ruling which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed there.

Protesters have again gathered outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping.

They stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, holding Union flags and waving at passing cars that sounded their horns.

Police officers watched on, with more waiting in vans in surrounding roads.

The Bell Hotel became the focal point of several demonstrations and counter-protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.

Any protest must end by 8pm and must not block the road, Essex Police said.

The force has put a Section 60AA order in place giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings.

A dispersal order, which covers the main high street and the area surrounding the Bell Hotel will be in place until 4am.

Somani Hotels, which owns the building, and the Home Office won a challenge against a High Court ruling which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed there.

Police in Epping have approached a protester waving a British flag from top of a council building. Police and protesters are clashing as huge crowds gather in front of the Epping District Forest Council.

Live video footage from the Epping anti-migrant protest shows large crowds marching towards Epping Town Council building, passing by honking cars and holding up England flags.

“Save our kids,” the protesters are shouting.

As the anti-migrant protests are slowing down, approximately 25 protestors have remained near the Best Western Hotel in Manchester, according to Manchester Evening News.

At its peak, roughly 50 to 60 individuals were protesting the housing of migrants in a Manchester hotel, while about 300 counter-protesters were present.

Essex Police have said that any protest must end by 8pm and must not block the road.

In Epping, Essex, protesters have once again gathered outside the Bell Hotel, where asylum seekers are accommodated.

The demonstrators stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, waving Union flags and greeting passing cars, many of which honked their horns, according to PA News Agency.

Police have used pepper spray after a protester attacked a police officer.

They said in a statement: “Officers witnessed an assault by a protester on a member of the public inside Canary Wharf shopping centre.

“The suspect was immediately arrested by officers who used PAVA spray.

“We are aware other protesters and members of the public may have been temporarily affected by the use of PAVA given the density of the crowds in the area.”

Police have imposed restrictions ahead of a planned protest in Epping.

The Bell hotel became the focal point of several protests and counter-protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.

Any protest must end by 8pm and must not block the road, Essex Police said.

The force has put a Section 60AA order in place giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings.

A dispersal order, which covers the main high street and the area surrounding the Bell, Hotel will be in place until 4am.

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.”

The Metropolitan Police have issued an update after disorder broke out in Canary Wharf, east London.

They said: “We have been facilitating peaceful anti-asylum protest on the Isle of Dogs this afternoon.

“Protesters, including some masked, moved into the Canary Wharf shopping centre where a small group became aggressive towards police.

“We are aware there are young children in the protest area and while we deal with any criminality our officers are ensuring the safety of them is paramount.”

They added: “We have made three arrests for common assault, possession of drugs and assault on police/public order offences.”

The Metropolitan Police have issued a section 60AA order to quell disorder in the Isle of Dogs, east London.

Footage online has seen disorder break out in a shopping centre in Canary Wharf, close to the sight of the Britannia Hotel which has been earmarked as a potential asylum accommodation site.

They said: “We have a Section 60 AA in place for the Isle of Dogs south of the A1261 to prevent people concealing their identity with masks – failure to comply may lead to arrest”

Anti-asylum protesters have taken to the streets of London chanting “send them back” and “you can stick your section 14 up your a***”

A boutique hotel owner has rejected a £3 million, seven-year contract to house migrants, saying it would “harm the village.”

Samuel Leeds was offered what he described as an “attractive” deal for the historic Willingham House in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, but refused to be part of the “arrogant” government’s asylum system.

Read more here

Deputy Reform UK leader Richard Tice said it is “ridiculous” to suggest the party supports anything other than lawful, peaceful protests.

Tice also rejected criticism from the Church of England’s current most senior bishop over the party’s plans to address the small boats crisis.

Asked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips for his response to the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell who said plans to lock up and deport arrivals in the UK straight away were “isolationist, short-term knee-jerk”, Richard Tice said: “All of it’s wrong because our policy on asylum seekers and removing those who are here illegally is to look after the people that the British Government is supposed to look after, which is the British people, and to make them more prosperous, to improve the world of public services for British citizens, and you’ve now got a Government that basically admitted the opposite is true.

“They’re more interested in protecting the rights of people who’ve come here illegally – therefore they are criminals – than looking after the rights of British citizens.”

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.

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.”

A post from hard-right platform Turning Point UK shows several red crosses spray painted on the white walls outside the Crowne Plaza migrant hotel in West Drayton.

Two men have been charged after violence exploded at a protest over housing asylum seekers at the Bell Hotel in Epping on August 29.

Jimmy Hillard, 52, of Chequers Road, Loughton, was charged with assaulting an emergency worker and Ross Ellis, 49, of Orchard Croft, Harlow, was charged with failing to provide a specimen.

A third man arrested on suspicion of violent disorder remains in custody, Essex Police said.

The police have been spotting standing next to two migrant hotel protestors

One demonstrator is donning the union jack flag whilst the other is wearing a top that reads: ‘Unite the Kingdom’.

A Stand up to Racism protestor is holding a placard that reads: ‘Migrants are not the problem, you are.

‘My daugher is less at risk from migrants than she is from the likes of you’.

One counter protestor banner reads: ‘We welcome all who cross the channel’.

Another reads: ‘Immigrants have the right. Here to stay, here to fight’.

Migrant hotel demonstrators carrying Union flags and placards have assembled outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf.

Protesters on both sides of the divide over the UK’s migration policies have gathered.

Police are in attendance, footage from the counter protest shows the force walking through the peaceful demonstration.

Chants of “Say it loud say it clear refugees are welcome here” can now be heard.

Around 100 protestors appear to have gathered in Canary Wharf.

A Stand up to Racism protest is underway in Canary Wharf.

Chants of “refugees are welcome here” and “we won’t be silenced” can be heard.

Asylum seekers were first spotted moving into the 500 room Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf around a month ago.

Tower Hamlets Council confirmed that the Government plans to use the site to house migrants while their claims are processed.

Ever since anger has been mounting over the four star hotel.

Protests outside the Britannia Hotel are expected to start anytime now.

Protests have begun in Copthorpe, West Sussex. A video on social media shows two groups, one protesting against the migrant hotel and one from Stand up To Racism, demonstrating outside of the Copthorne Hotel.

The two groups are on opposite sides of the road. A sea of British flags are being flown, and the protests appear to be peaceful.

Protests have erupted in Scotland against the use of migrant hotels over the past few weeks.

Glasgow is spending £4.5 million of taxpayers’ money each month to foot the bill for migrant accommodation. The number of asylum seekers in the Scottish city has soared in recent years, with 2,544 living in accommodation – up from 849 in 2023.

Both anti-migrant-hotel demonstrations and Stand Up To Racism protests have taken place outside of the hotels.

Read the full story here

Protests are set to take place outside of migrant hotels today (31 August), for a third day running.

Protests and counter-protests are planned in Epping, Canary Wharf and Copthorne.

Euan Stainbank, Scottish Labour MP for Falkirk, said the current asylum system was not working for anyone.

He said: “We must fix the broken asylum system which has not worked for years – for communities such as Falkirk, and for those seeking refuge from persecution.

“The Labour Government’s actions, within days of entering office, to end the Tories’ Rwanda scheme, focus resources on processing claims and ending needless processing pauses will allow us to close all the Tory-created asylum hotels during this Parliament.

“Further action, which I voted for – such as blocking refugee status for those convicted of a sexual offence – have been taken forward in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which was opposed by the Tories and Reform.”

Just hours after a court ruling allowed for the Bell Hotel to continue housing asylum seekers, a grinning migrant was caught giving protesters the middle finger.

Standing in a window at the Roundhouse hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, the man was grinning while raising his finger to the hundreds of demonstrators outside before he was led away.

Read more here

At least five people were detained at protests in Falkirk, Scotland, on Saturday, it is understood.

Two groups named Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures group protested in the Scottish town on Saturday, amid fears following alleged crimes linked to migrants at the Cladhan Hotel.

Save Our Future saw hundreds gather outside the office of Labour MP Euan Stainbank, where speeches were made, and people took aim at the UK Government, the police and journalists who were covering the protest.

More than 200 later assembled outside the nearby Cladhan Hotel, which is believed to house asylum seekers waiting for their claims to be processed.

The group, which was bolstered by a steady stream of people coming from the previous demonstration, was met by about 200 counter-protesters from the trade union movement and the campaign group Stand Up To Racism.

Exchanges quickly became tense, as both sides engaged in personal abuse and threats were hurled.

Police separated both sides behind barriers, with the counter protesters in what appeared to be a car park for the hotel and the protesters on the opposite pavement.

The protest is the second in as many weeks outside the Cladhan Hotel.

Five people were arrested at a protest in west London where a group of masked men attempted to enter a hotel, the Metropolitan Police have said.

At around noon on Saturday, two anti-migrant-hotel groups marched to the Crowne Plaza in Stockley Road and a group of men in masks attempted to enter the building through the rear entrance, damaging security fences, the force said.

Other protesters moved towards the nearby Novotel on Cherry Lane and a Holiday Inn.

Officers enforced cordons in the area to prevent a breach of the peace and three arrests were made, police said.

Two officers suffered minor injuries and two more arrests were made as police dispersed the crowd, the force added.

A Section 35 dispersal order has been put in place, allowing officers to direct people to leave the area and not return if they suspect they may cause disorder, police said.

Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: “Around 500 protesters were in the area, but most people have now dispersed from the immediate vicinity. However, further arrests will be made if we need to tackle disorder.”