Epsom Rape Claim Protest Leads to Four Arrests, Police Identify Criminal Damage
Four people were arrested in Epsom, Surrey, after eggs and beer cans were thrown during a protest on Monday. Surrey Police stated the demonstration "escalated to public disorder" with "missiles being thrown", leading to arrests on suspicion of offences including criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker.
The protest began at 17:00 BST outside Epsom train station. Individuals subsequently "targeted local hotels and residential properties with claims they were housing people seeking asylum", a police spokesperson stated, categorising this information as "wholly inaccurate".
The demonstration was prompted by a reported rape in the early hours of 11 April, where a woman in her 20s claimed she was followed from a nightclub and attacked near Epsom Methodist Church. Surrey Police have reviewed extensive CCTV, conducted forensic investigations, and carried out house-to-house enquiries, but stated: "To date, we have not found any evidence that the offence took place as reported." Police previously confirmed there was no evidence linking immigrants or asylum seekers to the incident.
A woman representing the protesters read a statement during a live stream, asserting the protest sought "establishing the truth" due to residents feeling "scared and unsafe" and perceiving "key details are missing".
Approximately 30 officers, equipped with riot shields, appeared to be protecting a property during the live stream. All four arrested individuals remained in custody late on Monday. Police affirmed ongoing efforts to review footage to identify further criminal offences.
