Will the Epping hotel riots spark another summer of unrest?

伊普林酒店骚乱是否会引发另一个夏日的动荡?

Today in Focus

2025-07-23

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

  • Today, could violent unrest outside an Essex asylum hotel spark another summer of riots?

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

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

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

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  • Is Don Jr. the obvious successor?

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  • getting their take on who helped him get to the White House and who might take over once he leaves.

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

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

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

  • 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.

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

  • 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 as she ate a pizza in Epping Town Centre.

  • He'd been living in the hotel since arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker at the end of June,