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Today in Focus

Will the Epping hotel riots spark another summer of unrest?

Today in Focus

The Guardian

Daily News, News

4.65.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 July 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A year after Southport, what’s driving the turmoil in Essex? Ben Quinn reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is The Guardian.

0:06.1

Today, could violent unrest outside an Essex Asylum Hotel spark another summer of riots?

0:19.0

Hello, Jonathan Friedland here, host of the Guardian's Politics Weekly America podcast.

0:25.4

Has Donald Trump been quietly building a political dynasty to rival that of the Kennedys?

0:31.6

That's the question I'm answering in a new three-part special series.

0:36.6

Why did Ivanka and Jared step back from political life?

0:40.7

Is Don Jr. the obvious successor?

0:43.4

Or could the silent, Maga favourite, Baron, be a dark horse?

0:48.5

In this series, I speak to the people who've spent time with members of Donald Trump's family,

0:53.1

getting their take on who helped him get to the White House

0:55.9

and who might take over once he leaves.

0:58.7

Just search for Politics Weekly America, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

1:08.4

A quick warning before we start, this episode contains some very strong language.

1:17.6

The Bell Hotel in Epping Forest is probably not on anyone's bucket list.

1:22.6

Situated on a busy B-road, a mile away from the nearest tube station, guests have complained of broken TVs, tired decor, and unreliable hot water.

1:33.3

But for the past two weeks, this shabby three-star hotel has been the focus of far more serious protests.

1:50.5

The outcry began when one of the hotel residents was charged with sexual assault. The man, a 41-year-old from Ethiopia, had allegedly tried to touch and kiss a 14-year-old girl

1:57.3

as she ate a pizza in Eppingtown Center.

2:00.6

He'd been living in the hotel since

2:01.9

arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker at the end of June, a court heard. Now, many locals

2:07.9

were already unhappy that the hotel had been closed to paying guests since 2020, after being

2:12.8

converted into asylum accommodation. But this was something else in town. Save our kids.

...

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