‘Ring of steel’ around 4-star hotel in London after anti-migrant protests

A ring of steel has been erected around a London hotel housing migrants after a second night of protests.

Images show large metal barriers installed outside The Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf after anti-migrant rallies have surrounded the building the last two nights.

Security guards have also been seen wearing face masks as they man the 500 room hotel, which is one of the latest to be turned into migrant accommodation.

Eggs were thrown at protesters last night, with shells appearing to have been chucked from nearby high rises.

Existing hotel staff said they had been made redundant, with agency staff being brought in to run the hotel.

A mum-of-two who worked there told Metro: ‘I don’t think it’s right that I and all the staff have been given redundancy letters. We are taxpayers and have done nothing wrong.

‘Now we will struggle to make ends meet. We are gutted.’

It is feared the protests will continue into the weekend and at other migrant hotels.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, warned he would bring thousands with him to more planned protests across the country.

More than 150 gathered outside The Park Hotel in Diss, Norfolk, on Monday, after the Home Office announced the hotel will house single asylum seeking men rather than families.

The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, saw violent clashes after one of the asylum seekers was charged with sexually assaulting schoolgirls in the area.

Police could be seen lining up outside the entrance of the hotel, with one protester wearing a St George’s Flag warned the Express: ‘This place is a tinderbox, mark my word.’

Newly-appointed shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly said he understands ‘the desire to protest’ when asked about demonstrations outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers.

Asked if he has sympathy for people protesting outside asylum hotels, the Tory MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I understand the desire to protest.

‘There is never any excuse for rioting and we are seeing that agitators, both on the left and the right, are descending upon these communities to try and stir things up and there’s never an excuse for that, but I do understand why local people are frustrated.’

Police hit out at ‘hooligans’ after spending £100,000 to tackle the acts of violent disorder.

Chf Supt Simon Anslow said: ‘The cost of policing criminal incidents in Epping over the last week has reached £100,000 – money which we would much rather spend on continuing to cut crime across Essex and keeping our neighbourhoods safe.’

Neighbours also shouted ‘Go home’ to protesters hurling rocks and flares at police.

Five men have been charged after the alleged violent disorder in Epping.

Keith Silk, 33, of Torrington Drive in Loughton, Essex, denied violent disorder at Southend Magistrates’ Court, but entered no plea to another charge of criminally damaging a sign at the hotel by shaking it.

51-year-old Dean Smith, of Madells in Epping, entered no plea to a charge of using or threatening the use of unlawful violence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

He was remanded in custody until the August hearing.

A 47-year-old and a 36-year-old man, both from the Epping Forest district, were also charged with violent disorder on Tuesday.

A 34-year-old man from Wickford was accused of failing to remove a face covering.

The three men were due to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on 18 August, Essex Police said.

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