Dozens of anti-migrant protesters have descended on Epping ahead of a council meeting on the future of the controversial hotel housing asylum seekers.
Riot police are out in force as activists marched through the heavy rain with England flags emblazoned with ‘The Only Way is Epping’ through the usually sleepy Essex town on Thursday.
One woman on the march claimed her daughter had been wolf-whistled in the street since the hotel opened.
Children held up red flares outside as others cowered under umbrellas waiting to be let into the crucial meeting.
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A motion will call on the Government to ‘immediately and permanently close the Bell Hotel’ after the mass protests.
Epping Forest District Council closed the town hall early to allow staff to get out of the way of the protest as they announced all Eventbrite tickets had been allocated for the meeting by midday.
Only locals would be allowed inside for the vote with no placards or masks allowed inside the council chambers.
Inside the chamber, Cllr Holly Whitbread introduced the motion, saying: ‘It’s my firm belief that the government is now treating our community with contempt.’
She said: ‘This is my hometown. I have lived in Epping my whole life. Never in my worst nightmares did I think we would see the situation that we have seen in recent days and weeks, riot police in the streets, people afraid.
‘This is bigger than us, and we do not want our town to become the focus of this and we have been left to deal with the consequences of this broken system.
‘So I am really pleading with the Home Office this evening, please listen to us do the responsible thing and close this hotel once and for all.’
Essex Police announced they had arrested 16 people after a wave of protests turned violent last week.
The force will ban face coverings at the protests and enforce designated areas where people can lawfully ‘make their voices heard’.
Eight officers were injured and a number of police vehicles were damaged as missiles were thrown.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper, Essex Police, said: “We know there are more plans for protest in Epping tonight.
‘We’ve got a really robust plan in place for this, to protect the people of Epping against anyone who turns up to commit crime and violent disorder.”
A Section 60AA order, under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, will be in place on face coverings.
‘If you wear one, we’ll order you to take it off. If you don’t take it off, you’ll be arrested’, Mr Hooper said.
Police are also using extra powers, under Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to “put restrictions on people who plan to assemble or to take part in any kind of procession”.
Designated protest areas are directly opposite the Bell Hotel ‘and will have their own designated entry and exit routes’, the assistant chief constable added.
There will also be sites near the Civic Centre, and he said ‘if you move from the Bell Hotel to the Civic Centre, you will not be able to return’.
He said all protest activity should cease by 10pm, adding: ‘To be clear, you will not be able to get in the way of people getting on with their daily lives in Epping. This is a priority.’
Kenneth Blissett, 34, of Long Banks, Harlow, Essex, was charged on Thursday with theft of police equipment and possession of an offensive weapon.
He remains on bail and will appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on September 30.
Another man in his 20s was detained at an address in Harlow at about 5.45pm on Wednesday on suspicion of violent disorder.
He remains in custody for questioning and police say they have seized evidence from the scene.
Officers are also appealing for information about two men they want to speak to in connection with the violence.
Martin Peagram, 33, who has links to Stansted, Essex, is described as 6ft, of slim build, with short brown hair and facial stubble.
Philip Curson, 52, who has no fixed address, is 5ft 8in, stocky, with short brown hair and full tattoo sleeves on both arms, as well as tattoos on his neck.
Essex Police said they are no longer seeking Shaun Thompson, 37, who was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and remains in custody.
Mr Hooper said: “We’d promised that we’d continue our investigations into the unacceptable actions of a small number of people who chose to take advantage of peaceful protest to try to cause harm to people in Epping or to property.
“We’ve been analysing footage and we have investigators and trained detectives working on this operation.
“We are identifying suspects and there will be more arrests in the coming days.
“Put simply, if you turn up to try to cause trouble, you won’t get away with it.”
Detectives have also released body-worn video showing one of the arrests.
The latest developments come as police are braced for further protests, and the Government and law enforcement have vowed to act swiftly if unrest spreads.
The Epping protest was sparked by the charging of asylum-seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, with sexual assault after he allegedly attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
He denied the charge at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and will stand trial in August.
The protest has drawn national attention and sparked a political row, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage calling for Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington to resign over claims that officers transported left-wing protesters to the scene, claims the chief constable has denied.