In Epping, close London, the local community is protesting all the time against placing in a hotel Bell groups seeking asylum. Protests, which began in mid-July, tempored after accusing 1 of the migrants of molestation of a 14-year-old girl. This event has caused natural unrest among residents who have been raising concerns about the presence of migrants in the area for a long time.
Police and local authorities inform that protests – although mostly peaceful – absorb immense resources, diverting officers from regular duties. Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst called on the government to act immediately:
"Protests affect crime prevention plans. alternatively of utilizing resources to prevent force against women and crime with knives, hundreds of officers request to keep order at the hotel.”
The Commissioner does not hide frustration – his request for aid and intervention went to the Minister of the Interior Yvette Cooper, but so far he has not received an answer:
“ I will walk and knock on their door personally. We cannot withdraw, due to the fact that the protests will not disappear.”
In his opinion, the presence of migrants in the hotel deepens the divisions and destabilizes the regular lives of residents, not to mention the operating costs incurred by the cleaning services:
"We have the capacity to intervene and to defend the public, but this prevention will be limited due to the fact that we request to channel resources where they are needed."
The region authorities of Epping Forest issued a unanimous position in which they request the immediate closure of the Bell Hotel. Council president Chris Whitbread made it clear that the decision to deploy migrants was made without consulting the local community:
"We powerfully argue the government's decision to usage Bell Hotel to accommodate asylum seekers. It should be closed immediately.”
In the session of the council, the father of a teenager who was to fall victim to a disturbing incidental besides spoke:
“I don’t want and will not approve of any force – that’s not the point – I just want the hotel to be moved, not only from our streets, but besides that another families don’t feel the way we feel.”
Protests are besides held in another cities of England – from Manchester to Portsmouth. At Epping at the highest of the moment, about 500 protesters and 700 people from counter-demonstration gathered. The vast majority of the conventions ran calmly, although tensions were felt. There have besides been incidents. any groups began throwing eggs, stones, and bottles, leading to police intervention. In 1 evening, 8 officers were injured and 9 people were detained. The police, however, emphasise that these are isolated cases and should not cross the overall image of the protests.
The main community support organization is the Together for the Children movement, which announces further action until the hotel is out of use. This group focuses on the safety of children and families in the local community, which is reflected in many parents who express concerns about their surroundings. For them, there is no political dimension – it is simply a sense of security.
Essex Police Chief, Ben-Julian Harrington, appealed to politicians and commentators of public life:
"I call on all public people to be responsible. What is said publically has real consequences for local communities and police activities."
In this way, he referred to a heated media debate that many people believe does not aid but warms up even more.
The government responded by introducing fresh rules. Asylum seekers who refuse to accept alternate accommodation may lose their benefits. This is part of a broader plan to reduce costs and improve migration processes. Home Office explains that the usage of hotels was intended to be a temporary solution, but due to the number of migrants arriving, it drags over time.
At the same time, a peculiar squad is created to monitor social media in search of voltage escalation signals. The authorities point out that the aim is not to censor, but to prevent possible riots, specified as the ones from last year, which broke out after false reports circulating on the Internet. However, it is hard not to announcement that behind the increasing frustration of the inhabitants lies not only the current event, but a longer increasing sense of ignoring local voices by central authorities.
The confusion around the Bell hotel illustrates a deeper problem: the increasing gap between London decisions and the needs and feelings of local communities. Residents do not protest from hatred – they protest due to the fact that they want to be heard.
Commissioner Hirst, despite political force and media criticism, remains in his position:
"This undermines the ability of the government's central missions to reduce force against women and girls and knife crime."
Also, council leader Epping does not intend to yield:
"We will press until the hotel closes. This is no place for social experiments.”
In the light of these voices, it is hard to ignore the fact that protests are an expression of local disagreement over decisions imposed in advance – decisions that affect people without giving them the chance to react. Protests will not vanish simply due to the fact that they will be called uncomfortable. People are behind them. And these people want to be taken seriously.
