In July 2025 an asylum seeker staying at the Bell Hotel in the small Essex town of Epping was arrested for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
The incident sparked a series of violent protests by some locals and far-right actors across the country over Bell’s housing of asylum seekers. Even billionaire Elon Musk got involved. There were also counter-protests from residents fearful of what was seen as racism.
tim burroughs Has traveled to Epping to talk to people about how the protests have affected them. he tells Helen Pidd What did he hear, and what happened to the hotel and the people living there. Twelve months after the first protests began, he charts how the city recovered from the heat of the unrest.
