A council has voted unanimously to urge the government to close a hotel housing asylum seekers after a series of public demonstrations. The number of people arrested after unrest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping has risen to 16 - in the wake of protests on 13, 17 and 20 July.

A council has unanimously voted to urge the Government to close a hotel housing asylum seekers following a series of protests around the site in Essex. Multiple demonstrations have been held outside the Bell Hotel in Epping since July 13 after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.

Arrest made outside migrant hotel as Epping council votes to ‘shut it’ - Councillors worried public demonstrations ‘being infiltrated on the extremes of politics’