Three Men Convicted for Violent Disorder at Epping Asylum Hotel Protest
Three men have received convictions for violent disorder after protests at an asylum hotel in Essex descended into chaos. Up to 500 individuals had gathered outside The Bell Hotel in Epping on 17 July, following a migrant resident's charge and subsequent imprisonment for sex offences.
Keith Silk, 33, Jonathan Glover, 47, and Charlie Land, 24, were identified as part of an "aggressive mob" during proceedings at Chelmsford Crown Court. Their sentencing is scheduled for 19 August.
Prosecutors detailed how the demonstration, initially peaceful, escalated into "serious public disorder" around 17:30 BST, coinciding with the arrival of approximately 50 counter-demonstrators. This led to altercations between the two groups.
Silk, from Loughton, was captured on video throwing a bottle at a police vehicle and attempting to dislodge a hotel sign. Footage also showed Land, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, smashing a police vehicle's windscreen and tearing off wing mirrors. Glover, from Waltham Abbey, was observed confronting officers, losing two teeth during an altercation when an officer used a riot shield to push him back.
A senior police officer described the scenes as the most severe he had witnessed in two decades of policing. Several other individuals have been convicted in connection with the 17 July demonstrations, with three others jailed in October and two more sentenced earlier this month. Another protester is due for sentencing on 14 August. The Essex force estimates the cost of policing these sustained protests last summer at £1.54m.
Separately, the Home Office recently cited fire safety concerns at The Bell Hotel, resulting in the removal of all asylum seekers.
