Protesters descend on Canary Wharf migrant hotel: Police surround building amid fears over ‘summer of riots’ – as force admits escorting pro-migrant activists to Epping asylum hotel hit by violent clashes

Metropolitan Police officers were last night forced to surround a four-star hotel in Canary Wharf after protesters gathered outside in response to Government plans to house migrants there.

The demonstration in London’s financial district place took place outside the Britannia International Hotel, which Tower Hamlets Council has confirmed the Government intends to use for asylum seekers.

Tuesday’s action marks the latest anti-migrant protest, with Sir Keir Starmer warned Britain could face a second ‘summer of riots’ if Labour fails to get a grip on migrant hotels.

It follows a string of violent demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel, in Epping, Essex, after an asylum seeker was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl eight days after arriving in the UK.

Essex Police is facing questions over its handling of the protests after footage emerged of officers escorting pro-migrant activists to the hotel – despite the force initially denying this has happened.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for the force’s chief constable resignation, saying the footage was ‘absolutely disgraceful’ and ‘heads must roll’. He later posted footage allegedly showing pro-migrant protesters being ‘bussed’ to the demonstration but Essex Police said this was ‘categorically’ untrue. 

Protests have since spread to other parts of the country, with more than 150 gathering outside The Park Hotel, in Diss, Norfolk on Monday after the Home Office announced plans to change it from housing asylum-seeker families to single men.

Amid warnings ‘discontent is real’ in Britain, Met Police officers were called to the Britannia International Hotel, on Marsh Wall, Canary Wharf, last night. 

A ring of steel in the form of a police cordon and metal fencing has been erected at the hotel today, with access only granted to workers seen wheeling beds and mattresses inside.

Footage on social media shows eggs were thrown, while a police helicopter was circling above as officers on the ground blocked the entrance to the hotel which has more than 500 rooms and is located on the waterfront of the South Dock.

The Canary Wharf protest did not reach the violence seen in Epping, with YouTuber-types making up a large proportion of the crowd in preparation for any tension.

Dozens of police officers were deployed to the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf last night

The hotel has been cordoned off but workers were seen bringing beds and mattresses inside this morning

Protesters gathered outside the hotel, some wearing masks and others draped in St George’s flags

Police officers blocked access to the hotel which the Government intends to use to house migrants

It comes as footage of Essex Police helping counter-demonstrators from a nearby station to the Bell Hotel in Epping on July 17 emerged after the force initially denied offering help

However, there were still dozens of protesters – some wearing masks and others draped in St George’s flags. One placard said: ‘This is a peaceful protest to protect our own.’

Counter-protesters also gathered outside the scene – and in one clip appeared to be escorted away from the hotel by police as protesters followed behind. 

Furious hotel guests have left damning reviews online, claiming they were told their stays were ‘cancelled’. 

One wrote: ‘My confirmed reservation was cancelled less than 24 hours before my stay via a brief phone call, citing a ‘private hire’ event.’

Another said: ‘Completely unprofessional company. Hotel cancelled my booking at last minute because they had a bulk booking.’

And a third fumed: ‘Booked in for three nights on 18th July. Told we couldn’t stay on Sunday night no explanation but waiter said they were closing. Left to go to other hotel 1 hr away on Sunday. Waste of a day.’

While guests claimed they were not given a reason for the cancellations, a spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council confirmed: ‘We are aware of the Government’s decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers.

‘It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel.

‘We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.’

There was a significant police presence with dozens of officers guarding the hotel last night after rumours spread on social media that the Epping migrants had been moved to the venue, though the Home Office said that was not the case.

Reform UK chief whip Lee Anderson said he was ‘absolutely furious’. He wrote on X:  ‘Canary Wharf. The International Hotel is now in lockdown as they prepare for an influx of illegal migrants. 500 rooms here. What are we playing at?’

Trouble first broke out in Epping last Thursday after Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the town by attempting to kiss her. He denies the charges.

A police officer sits in a car outside the entrance of the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf

A police cordon and fencing is placed outside the Britannia International Hotel this morning

A person waves an English flag from a car as it passes the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf

One placard brought by a group of protesters said: ‘This is a peaceful protest to protect our own.’ 

Amid warnings ‘discontent is real’ in Britain, Met Police officers were called to the Britannia International Hotel, on Marsh Wall, Canary Wharf, last night

Furious hotel guests have left damning reviews online, claiming they were told their stays were ‘cancelled’

Police officers gather in front of counter-protesters outside the Canary Wharf hotel

The protest started peacefully, but descended into frenzied violence when anti-migrant demonstrators clashed with counter protesters and police.

Last night, police admitted escorting pro-migrant protesters to the Bell Hotel following days of volatile protests.

Essex Police initially denied it had brought the Stand Up to Racism activists following claims from anti-migrant protesters that it was the counter-protesters who sparked the July 17 violence.

However, the force has now backtracked after footage showed them escorting the pro-migrant activists from a nearby station to the hotel. 

Mr Farage, who this week claimed Britain was getting close to ‘civil disobedience on a vast scale’, wrote on X: ‘Essex Police escorted ANTIFA protesters to the Bell Hotel in Epping to force a confrontation. Initially they denied that it had ever happened in the first place. Heads must roll.’

The Reform leader later posted footage of what he claimed to be pro-migrant protesters being transported to the Bell Hotel in police vans. 

‘There is no way Chief Constable BJ Harrington can stay in position,’ he wrote.

But Essex Police said: ‘There are claims on social media that Essex Police officers ‘bussed’ protesters to the protest outside the Bell Hotel on Thursday 17 July.

‘This is categorically wrong. Officers did provide a foot cordon around protesters on their way to the protest, where they and others were allowed to exercise their right to protest.

‘Later some people who were clearly at risk of being hurt were also escorted by vehicle away from the area for their safety. To reiterate, we categorically did not drive any counter-protesters to the site on any occasion.’

In total, six people have been charged with offences related to the Epping disorder following further clashes on Sunday. 

On Tuesday, MPs and council leaders raised fears that Britain could be heading for another ‘summer of riots’ – in a repeat of the street violence that followed the Southport murders 12 months ago.

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner warned that anger at high levels of illegal immigration is risking social cohesion in Britain’s poorest communities and must be addressed.

Her comments came after Sir Keir Starmer was warned by Epping Forest Council Leader Christ Whitbread that the UK is a ‘powder keg’ that could explode.

Newly appointed shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly also weighed in this morning, criticising the Prime Minister for a ‘disconnect from reality’ when it comes to housing asylum seekers.

The Tory MP and former home secretary said asylum hotels are being reopened and that more asylum seekers are likely to be sent to an accommodation centre in his own constituency of Braintree.

‘The Government has lost control,’ he told LBC.

‘And to add insult to injury, we saw the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee just this week blithely saying, oh, there are plenty of houses for asylum seekers, when there are people all over the country struggling to get on the housing ladder, and that complete disconnect from reality, I think, is driving a lot of frustrations.

‘There is never an excuse for rioting, and I’ll make that absolutely clear, but the Government really is making a difficult situation significantly worse.’

He said that people who live close to facilities housing asylum seekers are ‘typically well behaved’ but that there are ‘agitators, both of the left and the right, imposing themselves on local communities to try and play out a political agenda, and local people are caught in the crossfire’.

A row of police officers were seen blocking the entrance to the Britannia International Hotel

There was a significant police presence with officers guarding the hotel last night

Dozens of protesters gather outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf on Tuesday

The demonstration took place on Tuesday evening outside the Britannia Hotel, in Canary Wharf, which Tower Hamlets Council has confirmed the government intends to use for asylum seekers

The Government should be seen to be ‘on the side of the people who play by the rules, rather than on the side of the people who abuse the system, jump the queue and try and exploit our hospitality,’ he said.

Protesters are already plotting to take action outside more migrant hotels in the coming days. 

Conservative Councillor Daniel Elmer, who leads South Norfolk Council, yesterday told MailOnline ‘the risk of public discontent is real’ as he responded to the protests outside The Park Hotel in Diss.

He added: ‘I think that is unarguable. The fact that we already have protests proves that there is a risk of the public getting very, very upset with this to the point they’re prepared to go out on the streets to stop it.’

Speaking about the protests at the hotel, he added: ‘I think the anger here is completely understandable. I think they probably feel a bit taken advantage of because this was meant to be a family hotel.

‘It was largely accepted two years ago on that basis. And now it feels like the Home Office is changing the goalposts again.’

Since 2023, the 19-room hotel – in the centre of Diss – has been used to house asylum seeker families, including several women and children, but there are fears the change to single adult men could bring tension to the market town.

Bottles and smoke flares thrown towards police vehicles stationed outside The Bell Hotel on July 20

Dozens of officers were seen standing close to the protesters with riot helmets in their hands on July 20

People wrapped in St George’s flag faced down riot police who lined up in a queue on Hemnall Street on July 20

Police officers separate ‘anti-racism’ demonstrators from others protesting at the scene on July 13

Migrant hotels usually house two asylum seekers per room, meaning there could be at least 38 men bussed into Diss. But the council say the Home Office has not confirmed the numbers yet and they are ‘incredibly disappointed’ at the short notice.

Mr Elmer said that it is crucial how ‘safe people feel’ in the ‘very small tight-knit community’ of Diss, adding: ‘It is indisputably true that lots of young adult men make people feel less safe than women and children.

‘I understand why people are angry, and I would never want belittle that anger. I think it is obviously concerning if there is a risk of anything becoming violent.’

As well as the protests in Diss and Epping, demonstrations have already been planned in other parts of Norfolk and Worcestershire on Saturday, stoking fears more riots are on the way.

Mr Elmer said it was ‘absolutely true’ that there is a risk of more violence on the streets this summer.

Amid growing fears of further violence, Angela Rayner today told the Cabinet this morning they had to ‘acknowledge the real concerns people have’ about immigration and economic insecurity, hours after the anti-migrant clashes in Norfolk.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said today that Ms Rayner warned the Cabinet ’17 of the 18 places that saw the worst of the disorder last summer ranked at the top of the most deprived, and while Britain was a successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith country, the Government had to show it had a plan to address people’s concerns (and) provide opportunities for everyone to flourish’.

Around 150 people gathered outside The Park Hotel, in Diss, Norfolk, on Monday. Protesters and counter-protesters clashed

Protesters, including children, held up banners saying ‘stop the boats’, while others clashed with counter-protesters

The Deputy Prime Minister told the Cabinet they had to ‘acknowledge the real concerns people have’ about immigration and economic insecurity as fears of a ‘summer of riots’ grew

‘I think she sees a link between concerns that people have about where the Government is acting on their behalf and acting in their interests, and a range of factors,’ he said.

‘High levels of immigration over the last 10 years, including illegal immigration, but also, importantly, the cost of living, economic security, the rapid pace of technological change and deindustrialisation and changes in the economy, these are all factors that have had an impact on our social fabric and social cohesion.’ 

A spokesman for the Met Police said: ‘Officers were in attendance at a protest outside a hotel in Canary Wharf on Tuesday, 22 July. 

‘No arrests were made. Officers remain in the area to deal with any incidents.’