Police forces across the UK are facing “chronic pressure” as protests over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers surge alongside other duties this summer, according to Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
Stephens said that leaders in politics, business, and communities must consider their responsibility to “reduce and diffuse tension and not sow division.” He warned that social media commentary—sometimes laced with misinformation—has inflamed tensions, though he did not single out individuals.
Official figures show 3,081 protests were recorded between early June and late August this year. That compares to 2,942 protests during the same period last summer, and just 928 in 2023. The sharp increase is largely attributed to demonstrations against asylum seeker accommodation, often drawing hundreds of people on both sides.
Stephens stressed that while the right to protest remains vital, all sectors share responsibility for setting the tone in public debate. “We all want to live in places where we can be safe, and where we feel safe,” he said.
The sheer scale of protests has forced police forces nationwide to divert neighbourhood officers into public order duties. Under the mutual aid system, reinforcements have been sent from quieter areas to those under greater strain.
One flashpoint has been the Bell Hotel in Epping, where protests began in July. Hundreds of officers have been deployed to prevent confrontations between pro- and anti-migrant groups, and to stop activists from entering the hotel grounds.
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At least 30 more demonstrations are expected this coming weekend. In response, local Conservative councillor Chris Whitbread appealed for campaigners to scale back protests in Epping. He urged organisers to act “considerately and calmly” to ease the strain on residents, schools, and businesses.
Stephens suggested that demand on policing could be eased through better integration of refugees into communities. “It’s the effort we make together that reduces demand on policing,” he noted.
Police chiefs are also awaiting government reform plans, including the creation of a National Centre of Policing, announced last year by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, to centralise IT, forensics, and specialist services.