Far-right groups including neo-Nazi group the Homeland Party are behind the protests
Since 13 July, there have been three protests outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping, Essex. The protests began after Hadush Kebatu, a man living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, was charged with sexual assault, harassment, and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity following an alleged attempt to kiss her in the town centre. Kebatu denies the offences.
The protesters say they are acting to protect local children. Counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism have also attended demonstrations in both Epping and Canary Wharf. Some right-wing figures, including Nigel Farage, have claimed these counter-protesters were “bussed in” by police, a claim Essex Police has said is “categorically wrong”.
Farage has defended the protests, describing most of the protestors as “genuinely concerned families”. Yet among those attending were known figures from far-right groups, including UKIP, Homeland, Blood and Honour, British Democrats, and others.
So, who exactly is behind the protests? And what theories are the far-right spreading?
Homeland
The Homeland Party, an offshoot of the neo-Nazi group Patriotic Alternative, has been heavily involved in organising the anti-migrant protests. Anti-extremism campaign group Hope not Hate has described Homeland as “the largest fascist group in the UK”.
Activists from the Homeland party, Callum Barker, Adam Clegg and Andrew Piper, are the sole administrators of the main Facebook group where protests are being planned and advertised and also produce the promotional graphics for the protests.
The Facebook group, which has 1,600 members, seems to have since been deleted or set to private.
Kai Stephens, another known Homeland Party member attended the Epping protest last Sunday.
UKIP
Leader of UKIP Nick Tenconi made a speech at the protest on Sunday 20 July. Tenconi started anti-migrant chants of “Send them home” among the protestors. He warned the crowd of so-called “police tactics” and “the MI5”, claiming that police would put “agitators” and “plants” among the crowds. He said: “As soon as you see that happening, get rid of them, tell them they are not welcome here”.
The British Democrats
Far-right party, the British Democrats, was involved in the protests. The British Democrats’ Julian Leppert. Leppert had organised an anti-migrant campaign centred on The Bell Hotel in 2020.
Blood and Honour
A member of Blood and Honour, Lance Wright, was pictured at the front of the protest at the Bell Hotel on Thursday 17 July.
Tommy Robinson
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been involved in spreading false rumours online, involving the transfer of asylum seekers from Epping to Canary Wharf.
In a post on X, he wrote: “It’s being widely reported that the government have had all staff fired at the 4 star £469 a night Britannia international hotel in Canary Wharf, bought up all 450 at the taxpayers expense, to house unvetted migrant men, reports it’s those from the Bell hotel in Epping.”
As a result, protests have moved from the Bell Hotel to Canary Wharf. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Asylum seekers are not being removed from The Bell Hotel in Epping”. Despite the demonstrations outside Canary Wharf hotel, it currently remains empty.
Nigel Farage
Farage has also been spreading misinformation. In a video clip on X, he shared footage of people getting into a police van, which he claimed it “proves” Essex police bussed “left-wing” Stand Up to Racism protestors to the Bell Hotel. He accused the counter-protesters of causing the “riots” and said, “Essex Police caused the disturbances.”
In the caption, he said: “There is no way Chief Constable BJ Harrington can stay in position.”
He repeated these claims again during his slot on GB News.
Ben-Julian Harrington, chief constable of Essex police, has since said that people must consider the consequences of what they say.
“My appeal to people, whether they are the leader of a national party or just someone who’s got a comment to make, is please consider the consequences of your actions in the real world,” Harrington told a press conference.
Harrington said he would not resign. He also denied that the video Farage shared showed what he claimed, and said police did not transport counter-protesters to the site.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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