‘Migrant hotel’ egged and vandalised by Epsom protesters revealed as home for vulnerable adults

After protesters in Epsom targeted the wrong hotel and threw beer and eggs at police, they vandalised a home for vulnerable young adults.

This week, dozens of people marched through Epsom despite police insisting they had found no evidence of a gang rape offence or that asylum seekers were involved.

Protesters, some riding motorbikes, shut down Epsom town centre in Surrey on Monday night.

It came after detectives investigating an alleged rape of a woman outside of a church after she left a nightclub said there is no evidence the incident took place as reported or that any immigrants or asylum seekers were involved.

Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell, slammed the actions which she said terrorised residents.

‘This week, a mob vandalised a supported living home for vulnerable adults, terrifying the residents within,’ she wrote.

‘The following morning, I joined local volunteers to clear up the mess and show what this community is really made of.’

Clashes that saw eggs and beer cans thrown at police during a protest over a disputed rape investigation have been condemned as ‘shameful’ by local authorities.

Surrey police and crime commissioner Lisa Townsend said some of those involved in the unrest in Epsom on Monday had travelled from elsewhere to cause trouble, and warned them to stay away.

‘The mindless scenes we witnessed last night, where our police officers were targeted with missiles, were nothing short of shameful,’ she said.

‘I am a firm believer in people’s right to lawful protest, but sadly, some of those present in Epsom yesterday stepped way beyond that line, and the type of behaviour we witnessed will not be tolerated.’

Four people were arrested after the items were thrown at police in riot gear on Monday evening, and one man appeared to try to climb on top of a police van.

It was the second protest in the town after a woman reported being raped near a church in the early hours of Saturday, April 11, after leaving Labyrinth Epsom nightclub.

There was some public anger that the force had not released the ethnicity of any suspects, but Surrey Police said this was because ‘the information about the incident and potential suspects is so limited’.

The force has repeatedly said there is no evidence to suggest immigrants or asylum seekers were involved in the attack.

Ms Townsend added: ‘I have been kept updated by senior officers and I know how painstaking and extensive the inquiries have been over the last week to establish the full facts of what happened in this case.

‘I fully appreciate in circumstances like this that the local community are keen to have as much information as possible, particularly when the report made is of such a concerning nature.

‘Surrey Police has said there is no evidence this case involves asylum seekers or immigrants. But clearly, this does not suit the narrative some want to push, and we are still seeing misinformation being spread online.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Comments Add as preferred source