British bishop calls on UK government to support asylum seekers in response to protests

A British bishop has spoken out on the need for the UK government to support asylum seekers after six people were arrested during protests at a hotel used to house asylum seekers.

Over 1,000 people protested outside the Bell Hotel, where asylum seekers have been housed, in the market town of Epping in the English county of Essex. Although most of the people protested peacefully, some were arrested for throwing bottles and for other violent acts. The protests followed the arrest of an asylum seeker on suspicion of an alleged sexual assault against a girl in the town; an Ethiopian national has been charged with three sexual offences, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

“It was disappointing to hear about the protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping over the weekend. While the right to protest peacefully is part of our democratic tradition, protests that spread hatred and fear, and which intimidate are not acceptable,” said Bishop Paul McAleenan, the lead bishop for refugees and migrants for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

“We have seen before, including in last year’s attacks on hotels used for asylum accommodation, the dangerous consequences when fear is stirred up and exploited. Such actions do not reflect who we are as a society,” he said in a statement released on Monday.

“We must remember that the individuals housed in that hotel are not faceless intruders, but people – human beings who have fled war, persecution and hardship in search of safety and dignity. Migrants are not objects to be sent back or spoken of as burdens; they are our brothers and sisters, deserving of compassion and our welcome,” McAleenan said.

Demonstrators on Sunday, 20 July, were reported as chanting “send them home” and “save our kids".

However, police said some protestors used “mindless thuggery”to injure officers at the event.

A spokesperson for the police force told the BBC they would “deal robustly and quickly with anyone intent on coming into Epping to commit selfish criminal behaviour".

“The right to peaceful protest is protected by law and allows everyone freedom of expression, but this must be done respectfully, and if there is a risk to public order, we will act appropriately,” the police said.

The Home Office has said that it has "begun to restore order to the asylum system, with a rapid increase in asylum decision-making and the removal of more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK". The spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented on the events that unfolded in Epping.

“Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but it’s clearly unacceptable to see police coming under attack as they ensure that peaceful protest is able to take place,” the spokesperson said, adding that people who protested peacefully, lawfully and responsibly “cause us and the wider public no concern".

The United Kingdom has witnessed a significant surge in anti-immigration protests, as refugees continue to cross the English Channel from France. As of 6 July, over 21,000 migrants had crossed the Channel in small boats since the start of the year – a 56 per cent increase on the same period in 2024.

The Jesuit Refugee Service UK recently encouraged cooperation between the French and UK governments to combat human trafficking and to prevent dangerous Channel crossings.

Britain and France agreed earlier this month to a pilot plan that will send back to France some of the migrants who cross the English Channel on small boats.

“We call for the French and UK governments to take a humane and rights-based approach to asylum, that upholds their international obligations and the dignity of those seeking protection,” the Jesuit Refugee Service UK said earlier this month.

In his statement issued by the bishops’ conference, McAleenan said protests need to remain peaceful.

“Alleged criminal acts must be investigated and follow due process and the rule of law. This is necessary for the common good of society and to prevent a cycle of violence developing,” the bishop said.

“In the words of Pope Leo XIV: ‘No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person.’ We must not allow hatred or hostility to harden our hearts."

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Photo: People demonstrate near the Bell Hotel in Epping, England, July 20, 2025. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images.)

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