Nigel Farage has raged at Essex Police’s treatment of pro-migrant demonstrators in Epping.
Tensions erupted on Tuesday evening with protesters on both sides of the debate demonstrating outside a hotel in Epping used to house asylum seekers.
Nigel accused the police of “bussing in” pro-migrant demonstrators, a claim they denied and the GB News star has now apologised for.
It was later confirmed around 40 pro-migrant activists were escorted by police officers to the hotel.
Speaking on the People’s Channel, Nigel said they were afforded “red carpet treatment” as he launched a furious rant.
“I thought it was absolutely astonishing that the police bussed a group called Stand Up to Racism, who had within them Antifa, who we know to be an openly violent organisation, what were they doing bussing them from the station to the Bell Hotel?”, he said.
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“I got a phone call back from a police officer who was in charge of the situation that night to say I was wrong. They didn’t bus them to the protest. They walked them to the protest and they bussed them back later.
“If I was slightly out on accuracy, I apologise.”
Essex Police chief rejects calls to resign as he said his focus is with 'the communities of Epping'
He continued by questioning why mask-clad protesters were allowed to protest with seemingly no police intervention.
“From what I can see of it, these counter-protesters, Antifa among them, some with masks on, were given the red carpet to and from the hotel”, he said.
“I’m pretty bloomin’ angry about it. I really, really am.”
Nigel said it reinforces the suggestion that Britain is a “two-tier” society where “different groups are policed differently”.
GB News’s National Reporter Charlie Peters asked Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington whether his officers funnelling leftists to the asylum hotel was a wise move given the potential for unsavoury scenes.
Julian-Harrington said Essex Police were merely aiding their right to protest and free speech.
“There is a duty upon policing to allow people to exercise their right of assembly and protest”, he said.
“That is a right under that Human Rights Act. People came under their own volition, they walked up to that protest to make sure we understand that threat and manage and deal with the risks and issues, as we did outside the hotel, as we did on the high street.
“We had officers there and they walked alongside to make sure they understood so they could intervene and prevent crime. That’s what happened, that’s what the photos show and that’s what we did.”
Asked if there was any “regret” given the “well known” tensions between the groups and the fact arrests were made, the police chief said: “It’s not for me to comment or try and criticise or examine that operation.
“We made 10 arrests. We have managed to ensure that those who were there peacefully protesting were able to do that, and there were many more of those.
“They were able to do that and that’s our priority, making sure they can do that.
“Where people stepped across that line, where they broke the law, they were arrested and the court records will show they have been charged and some remanded.
“That’s the position we take around that criminality.”
Essex Police said in a statement: “Officers did provide a foot cordon around protests 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.”
from GB News https://ift.tt/5v2EP7x
Nigel Farage has raged at Essex Police’s treatment of pro-migrant demonstrators in Epping.
Tensions erupted on Tuesday evening with protesters on both sides of the debate demonstrating outside a hotel in Epping used to house asylum seekers.
Nigel accused the police of “bussing in” pro-migrant demonstrators, a claim they denied and the GB News star has now apologised for.
It was later confirmed around 40 pro-migrant activists were escorted by police officers to the hotel.
Speaking on the People’s Channel, Nigel said they were afforded “red carpet treatment” as he launched a furious rant.
“I thought it was absolutely astonishing that the police bussed a group called Stand Up to Racism, who had within them Antifa, who we know to be an openly violent organisation, what were they doing bussing them from the station to the Bell Hotel?”, he said.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- ‘Is that a regret?’ Charlie Peters grills Essex Police chief after Nigel Farage's resignation demand
- Essex Police chief hits back against calls to resign as he refuses to apologise over migrant protest
- Councillors compare migrant hotel protesters to Nazis and urge locals to reject 'extremists'
“I got a phone call back from a police officer who was in charge of the situation that night to say I was wrong. They didn’t bus them to the protest. They walked them to the protest and they bussed them back later.
“If I was slightly out on accuracy, I apologise.”
Essex Police chief rejects calls to resign as he said his focus is with 'the communities of Epping'
He continued by questioning why mask-clad protesters were allowed to protest with seemingly no police intervention.
“From what I can see of it, these counter-protesters, Antifa among them, some with masks on, were given the red carpet to and from the hotel”, he said.
“I’m pretty bloomin’ angry about it. I really, really am.”
Nigel said it reinforces the suggestion that Britain is a “two-tier” society where “different groups are policed differently”.
GB News’s National Reporter Charlie Peters asked Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington whether his officers funnelling leftists to the asylum hotel was a wise move given the potential for unsavoury scenes.
Julian-Harrington said Essex Police were merely aiding their right to protest and free speech.
“There is a duty upon policing to allow people to exercise their right of assembly and protest”, he said.
“That is a right under that Human Rights Act. People came under their own volition, they walked up to that protest to make sure we understand that threat and manage and deal with the risks and issues, as we did outside the hotel, as we did on the high street.
“We had officers there and they walked alongside to make sure they understood so they could intervene and prevent crime. That’s what happened, that’s what the photos show and that’s what we did.”
Asked if there was any “regret” given the “well known” tensions between the groups and the fact arrests were made, the police chief said: “It’s not for me to comment or try and criticise or examine that operation.
“We made 10 arrests. We have managed to ensure that those who were there peacefully protesting were able to do that, and there were many more of those.
“They were able to do that and that’s our priority, making sure they can do that.
“Where people stepped across that line, where they broke the law, they were arrested and the court records will show they have been charged and some remanded.
“That’s the position we take around that criminality.”
Essex Police said in a statement: “Officers did provide a foot cordon around protests 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.”
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