A clash broke out between anti-migration protesters and and police outside a hotel thought to be housing asylum seekers.

The fight broke out in Epping in Essex last night with videos posted on social media showing police vans hitting protesters.

It comes after allegations about an Ethiopian asylum seeker who allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage girl days after arriving in the UK.

Appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu denied trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl.

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Kebatu is reported to have arrived in Britain eight days before the alleged assault.

Chief Superintendent at Essex Police Simon Anslow said: "Disruption and offending is never an appropriate response, no matter the strength of feeling in this case, and on this issue.

"People protesting peacefully, lawfully and responsibly cause us, and the wider public, no concern.

"However, we can never, and will never, tolerate criminal behaviour of any sort and anyone identified as committing crime will be dealt with robustly."

Conservative leader of Epping Forest District Council Chris Whitbread has previously called for an end to a hotel in the area being used to house asylum seekers.

He described placing "vulnerable individuals from a wide range of cultural backgrounds into an unsupervised setting in the centre of a small town, without the proper infrastructure, support, or services" as "both reckless and unacceptable."

Epping Forest MP Dr Neil Hudson and Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart issued a joint statement calling the situation "increasingly alarming and distressing."

Weyman Bennett, from the Stand Up To Racism group who attended the rally, told the BBC: "Britain is a peaceful country in which people should be allowed to go about their business without being attacked."

X/@EssexPR