There has been no increase in crime in Epping as a result of asylum seekers being housed in the Bell Hotel, Essex Police have confirmed.
Police refuted the claims after Russian state-affiliated media outlet Russia Today (RT) posted a video to Youtube confronting asylum seekers and interviewing residents outisde the hotel in Epping High Road.
In a written piece accompanying the video, RT claimed residents had reported “a rise in petty crime” near hotels across the UK being using for asylum seekers, repeating an unfounded claim made previously by For Britain councillor, Julian Leppert.
Essex Police has since confirmed there has been no increase in local crime, or crime associated with people staying at The Bell.
Epping Forest District councillor Holly Whitbread said: “There has been a lot misleading information and rumour about the people staying at The Bell Hotel. I want to reassure local people. The Home Office use of The Bell has no negative impact on local residents.
“It is not costing EFDC anything. It is not affecting our council house allocations or being funded through our local housing budget, and it is not impacting local crime levels, with no increase in crime or crime linked to the hotel”
She added: “All the people staying at The Bell receive Home Office-funded meals and daily support in the hotel. Many are likely to have come from war-torn or famine ravaged parts of the world. I am sure the vast majority are looking for a safe haven to restart their lives for themselves and their families.
“They are not a threat to local people and I would appeal to everyone to leave them in peace while the government deals with their claims.”
All of the people staying at the Bell Hotel are asylum seekers – legally distinct from illegal immigrants – and have often fled conflict and persecution in their home countries.
The UK has a statutory duty to provide support for asylum seekers while their claim is being decided.
Cllr Leppert was yesterday (August 18) invited onto RT TV to discuss the hotel and the wider subject of channel migrants.
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