EPPING, ENGLAND: Police in southeast England vowed on Friday (Jul 18) to identify and arrest those responsible for violence outside a hotel believed to house asylum seekers, after officers and vehicles were attacked during a protest.
Eight officers were injured and three police vehicles damaged during Thursday night’s unrest in Epping, Essex police said.
The protest was the latest in a string of demonstrations following the charging of an asylum seeker with multiple sex offences earlier this month.
Footage from the scene showed masked individuals clashing with police, pelting vans and jumping on vehicles. Right-wing figures, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson, circulated videos of the protest on social media.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said a dedicated team was reviewing body-worn and CCTV footage to identify those involved.
“After last night I’ve got a team of specialist detectives today that are combing through the footage to identify those who are responsible,” Hooper told AFP. “If you’re one of those individuals, you can expect a knock on the door.”
He said most of those behind the unrest were not from the local area.
“These were selfish individuals from outside of the area who travelled here intent on causing criminality,” he said.
