Police bill for Epping protests could reach £1.7m

Police policing costs for protests in Epping could reach as much as £1.7m by October, Essex's crime panel was told on Thursday. The figure reflects policing tied to demonstrations that began after an asylum seeker, Hadush Kebatu, was charged with sexual offences in July.

Thousands of people demonstrated in the town; since Kebatu's arrest, Essex Police have arrested 32 people in connection with disorder outside The Bell Hotel, where Kebatu, who was staying there, was located. Roger Hirst, the police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, said the force's response had required a "substantial level" of resources. Speaking at the crime panel meeting, Hirst said: "I think some [officers] even came from Wales to support [us]."

Essex Police would only receive help from the government if costs topped £4m, the Conservative explained, meaning the force had to swallow the bill it faced. "It's a classic public service conundrum," he said. "You have the requirement right now, you have to do it. That's the job."

The latest protest outside The Bell Hotel took place on Thursday evening. While most action has been peaceful, eight officers were hurt on 17 July, when fireworks were let off and eggs thrown.

The court battle over housing asylum seekers at The Bell continues. Epping Forest District Council sought to block The Bell from housing asylum seekers at the High Court and was awarded a temporary injunction in August, but this was overturned at the Court of Appeal. The full legal challenge will return to the High Court on 15 October.

Kebatu, an asylum seeker from Ethiopia, was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman. He was found guilty of those offences at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court and jailed for one year on Tuesday.

Experts and local officials say the case highlights the financial and logistical strain of large protests on policing budgets. The debate around funding for protest policing remains a contentious issue in Essex and beyond, with potential implications for how authorities manage similar situations in other democracies, including the United States.