Protests erupted around Britain as opponents and supporters of migrants confronted each other following a High Court order requiring a suburban London hotel to evict asylum-seekers. The dispute intensified after an alleged sexual assault by a hotel resident prompted weeks of demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel in Epping and a temporary injunction citing unprecedented levels of protest and disruption, which led to arrests. The issue has strained government capacity to curb unauthorized Channel crossings and to house tens of thousands of asylum-seekers. The government announced plans to speed up asylum appeals, clear a backlog, and potentially increase deportations while police sought to keep rival groups apart in several communities.
LONDON Opponents and supporters of migrants faced off in angry confrontations at demonstrations held around Britain over the holiday weekend as the government scrambled to deal with fallout from a court order that will force a hotel in a London suburb to evict asylum-seekers. The ruling has created a headache for the government, which has struggled to curb unauthorized migration and fulfill its responsibility to accommodate those seeking refuge.
The latest round of demonstrations followed weeks of protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, on the outskirts of London, after a hotel resident allegedly tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl and was charged with sexual assault. The man has denied the accusation and is due to stand trial later this month. Epping Forest District Council won a temporary injunction to shut down the hotel because of "unprecedented levels of protest and disruption," which had led to several arrests.
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