ESSEX Police will be putting in place legal restrictions on a protest event in the vicinity of The Bell Hotel, Epping, which is planned to take place today, Sunday 21 September.
These restrictions are being introduced under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 and are designed to ensure that the rights of all members of the community are respected and protected.
To those who plan to attend Epping today to make their voices heard, the restrictions in place today are as below. Failing to comply with the conditions is a criminal offence and persons who do not follow this direction may be arrested.
Under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986:
Restriction on location – any public assembly in the vicinity of The Bell Hotel must take place on the south side of the B1393 High Road, Epping, opposite the hotel, behind the area marked off by metal fencing. No assembly is permitted in the road (B1393).
Restriction on Timings – All protest activity must be confined to the hours between 1600hrs and 1800hrs on Sunday 21st September 2025.
Restriction on Equipment and Materials – No sound amplification equipment (including loudspeakers, megaphones, or air horns) may be used. The use of flares, fireworks, smoke bombs, or any pyrotechnic devices is prohibited. Banners or signs must not contain offensive or inflammatory language.
These conditions are not intended to prevent lawful protest. They are in place to ensure that protest can take place in a way that does not cause serious disruption to the lives of those who live and work in Epping.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “We remain committed to facilitating peaceful protest and will continue to engage with organisers and participants to ensure that everyone understands the conditions and the reasons behind the restrictions. It is our aim to keep everybody safe and our policing approach will continue to remain impartial, proportionate, and focused on protecting the rights of all.
“We understand that many people feel strongly about the use of hotels in this way, and we understand that everybody has a right to protest, and we want to ensure that people can protest in a safe environment.
“But we also have a duty to protect the rights of others—including the right to live in peace, to feel safe in your own home, and to go about your daily life.
“Imposing conditions on assembly is never a decision we take lightly but over recent weeks, Essex Police has received a growing number of reports from local residents and businesses describing the impact of protest activity.
“These restrictions are a direct response to the impact that protest activity is having on the wider Epping community. They are not about favouring one group over another—they are about striking a fair balance between competing rights and ensuring that protest does not come at the expense of public safety and community wellbeing.”
People living nearby have spoken of the effects of the protests in Epping. These are not isolated experiences—they reflect a wider pattern of disruption and distress that has been consistently reported to us.
They have spoken about:
- being unable to sleep due to loud noise late into the evening
- children being kept awake or frightened by shouting and chanting
- some residents have said they no longer feel safe leaving their homes when protests are taking place
- some residents have changed their daily routines to avoid the area altogether
- those living and working in the hotel have been subjected to harassment, assault and intimidation
- a business owner’s bookings collapse whenever protests take place and the future of their family-run business is now at risk
- a resident described shaking with anxiety when leaving their house and no longer feeling able to use nearby public spaces.
