Three people were arrested by police on Sunday during a protest outside a hotel in Epping, England, where asylum seekers are being housed, and during an anti-racism counter-demonstration.
According to the British broadcaster BBC, 300 to 400 people demonstrated in front of the Bell Hotel, while some 2,000 took part in the anti-racist counter-demonstration, organised by the Stand Up To Racism action group.
Protesters gathered outside the Bell Hotel waved the English flag, sang patriotic songs and waved placards with slogans such as 'Protect our children.' This was the latest in a series of protests that erupted on 13 July after an incident involving an asylum seeker.
Action group comes out against collective blame
According to the BBC, a man staying at the hotel was arrested and charged with sexual assault after he tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl. During his appearance at a court in Chelmsford, the suspect denied the charges, according to the British news agency PA Media. He is currently in custody and will appear in court in August.
The counter-demonstrators carried placards reading 'unity is strength,' 'Let's resist racism' and 'The far right is not welcome in Epping,' and chanted slogans such as 'Say it loud and clear: refugees are welcome here' and 'Nazis, off our streets.'
"Fascist and far-right groups are exploiting horrific cases of sexual violence to violently attack refugees at a hotel in Epping, Essex," Stand Up To Racism wrote on its website in a call for protests.
"We support all victims and survivors of sexual violence and oppose the attempts of the far right to exploit these cases," the action group said. "We reject the idea that all refugees should be held accountable for the horrific acts committed by a single individual.
Three arrested
"The far right spreads the racist lie that refugees and migrants pose a particular threat to women," it said. "Attacking minorities and vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution does not protect women and girls."
A 52-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman, both from Loughton, who allegedly protested against the reception of refugees in the hotel, were arrested on charges of disturbing public order and engaging in racially motivated public disorder in connection with an earlier protest.
A 27-year-old woman from Deptford, who allegedly took part in the counter-demonstration, was also arrested for disturbing the peace and vandalism.
Tensions had already erupted ten days ago and last Sunday in front of the same hotel in Epping after the incident involving the asylum seeker.
These tensions are reminiscent of the anti-immigration riots that shook the United Kingdom last summer after three girls were stabbed to death by a teenager in the northwestern city of Southport.
