The Home Office has announced that asylum seekers who refuse to leave hotels for alternative accommodation will have their support withdrawn, as tensions escalate ahead of further protests at the Bell hotel in Essex. Minister Angela Eagle stated the government aims to 'close hotels, restore order, and put fairness and value for money at the heart of our asylum system.'
The announcement follows a week of disorder at the Bell hotel in Epping, where nine people have been charged. Demonstrations, some orchestrated by far-right figures, have spread to other locations. The protests were sparked by the charging of asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu with sexual assault, which he denies.
New 'failure to travel guidance' will deny single men hotel accommodation if they have refused suitable housing without a valid reason, and will also cut financial support. Refugee charities note the policy is not new, with similar terms already in place, and argue most refusals stem from communication failures or system issues.
A further demonstration at the Bell hotel is planned for Sunday, with counter-protests expected. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and suspended MP Diane Abbott have voiced support for anti-racism protesters. Corbyn stated, 'Refugees are human beings like you and me. The great dividers want people to think migrants are to blame, but the problems are caused by a rigged economic system.'
On Thursday, Epping Forest District Council voted unanimously to call for the immediate closure of the Bell hotel for asylum processing, though the motion is symbolic. Council leader Chris Whitbread accused the Home Office of lacking cooperation on safeguarding concerns. Separate protests also occurred outside a hotel in Canary Wharf and in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
