The Court of Appeal overturned a temporary injunction that had blocked asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping. The judgement means 138 asylum seekers staying at the hotel will not be forced to leave by 12 September. Three men were arrested during a protest outside the hotel on suspicion of violent disorder, assaulting a police officer, and drink driving. Essex Police said two officers were injured, though not seriously, and enforced a dispersal order for the area until Saturday morning. Epping Forest District Council says it may take the case to the Supreme Court. Police have made 28 arrests related to disorder outside the hotel since July after an asylum seeker there was charged with sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.
"the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime"
Explaining the Court of Appeal decision, Lord Justice Bean said the initial injunction - issued by the High Court - was "seriously flawed in principle".
"My continued plea to those people who want their voices to be heard is to please do that safely and peacefully."
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