Labour MP likens Epping asylum-seeker protestors to banned Palestine Action group
Stella Creasy said the demonstrators outside Epping’s Bell Hotel were behaving like members of the proscribed Palestine Action group, accusing them of intimidation.
Speaking at a Labour Party Conference fringe event hosted by More in Common, MP Stella Creasy equated the protesters outside Epping’s Bell Hotel—home to roughly 140 asylum seekers—to members of the banned Palestine Action group, arguing they used intimidation instead of genuine debate. Creasy, who grew up in nearby Colchester, said the demonstrators left locals fearing the hotel might be set alight and highlighted uneven handling of the situation.
The report notes more than 24 arrests linked to the Epping protests, with 16 people charged and ten receiving jail sentences that add up to over 17 years. It also references the wider Palestine Action campaign, which has seen over 3,600 arrests nationwide and recent convictions for violent actions at Elbit Systems and RAF Brize Norton. Fellow MP Jonathan Hinder, also on the panel, defended the decision to proscribe Palestine Action and warned against damage to military sites. The discussion underscored internal Labour debates about free-speech limits and community concerns over immigration.
Why it matters
The remarks link local anti-immigration protests to a designated terrorist group, raising questions about free speech and public safety.
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