Officers attended the Bell Hotel, which houses asylum seekers, after a number of people were reportedly throwing projectiles including flares and firecrackers and carrying out harassment and anti-social behaviour.
This behaviour was not carried out by legitimate protesters and was a change from the peaceful protest on Thursday and on many occasions before, Essex Police have insisted.
Police also received reports a resident of the hotel was assaulted outside the property, and officers arrested a 49-year-old man from Harlow in connection with this. He remains in custody while enquiries continue.
Epping has been the site of repeated scenes of disorder in recent weeks, with multiple demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel in the town after an asylum seeker was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “I have seen reports that those living at the hotel were throwing flares – I have watched footage of the events yesterday and can say that this is categorically untrue. This is flagrant disinformation, the likes of which we have seen before, designed to cause trouble.
“In fact flares were being lit and thrown by those purporting to protest, but there is a stark difference between criminal behaviour and those seeking to genuinely exercise their right to protest.
“We have seen hundreds of people turn up to dozens of protests peacefully – this was not peaceful protest, it was criminality.
“Flares, firecrackers and smoke bombs are not peaceful. Assaulting those living at the hotel is not peaceful. Surrounding and intimidating people living in the hotel is not peaceful.
“All this behaviour does is sow division in our community and detract from the voices of those genuinely protesting lawfully and peacefully.
“We are investigating those incidents from Friday night, and anyone identified committing crime will be arrested for their part in this offending.
“Our officers will facilitate peaceful protests as they have done over the previous weeks at any future protest, we remain impartial and we are clear we will not tolerate those causing crime and disorder of any kind outside the Bell Hotel or anywhere.”
A dispersal order was put in place Friday evening which gave officers powers to disperse anyone in the area of Epping suspected of anti-social behaviour – or suspected of planning to commit anti-social behaviour – to leave the area.
One man was also issued with a Section 42 Notice yesterday evening, under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.
Ch Supt Anslow said: “This is an important act which allows us to order individuals to leave the area of an address if they are stopping those living there doing something they are allowed to do, or making them do something they don’t have to, and causing them harassment or distress. That’s the kind of behaviour we witnessed and acted upon last night.
“Like the other powers we have used at other protests, we will consider all options available to us to make sure those living and working in Epping can live their lives without disruption.”