Essex Police issue statement on “bussed protestors”

Politics / Wed 23rd Jul 2025 at 01:20pm

ESSEX Police have refuted suggestions that they “bussed” protestors to a protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping.

Footage on social media showed Stand Up To Racism protestors being accompanied by Essex Police from Epping Underground Station to the Bell Hotel on the High Road.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: “There are claims on social media that Essex Police officers ‘bussed’ protestors to the protest outside the Bell Hotel on Thursday 17 July.

“This is categorically wrong.

“Officers did provide a foot cordon around protestors on their way to the protest, where they and others were allowed to exercise their right to protest.

“Later some people who were clearly at risk of being hurt were also escorted by vehicle away from the area for their safety.

“To reiterate, we categorically did not drive any counter protesters to the site on any occasion.”

7 Comments for Essex Police issue statement on “bussed protestors”:

Adam

2025-07-23 13:55:06

There is video of them doing it, the Chief constable is incorrect. No wonder no one has any faith in the police anymore

AB

2025-07-23 14:35:25

Of course the police didn't 'bus' anyone. Escorting protesters on foot to protect everyone is normal practice.

Paul Goddard

2025-07-23 14:59:47

I saw them do it with my own eyes! Collected from Epping station and walked up the hill.. I was with them

A B

2025-07-23 15:26:12

Yes Paul, escorted on foot for safety of all, not 'bussed'.

Tim

2025-07-23 20:45:34

People need to get off social media especially X as it's a cespit of misinformation

Moi

2025-07-24 08:08:08

I agree Tim.

David Forman

2025-07-24 09:42:16

Someone should ask "why so few Stand Up to Racism activists?" Lack of communication with the local residents is one answer, because relying on rent-a-mob would not have worked in Cable Street in 1936. This was when the Communists and the Independent Labour Party galvanized Irish and Jewish residents along with English dockers to oppose Oswald Mosley's fascist thugs. This requires plenty of legwork and having observed the anti-fascist crowd at close quarters I know they don't like hard work. Much easier to bus in or hop on the train a regular rent-a-mob, although rent-a-picnic group would be more accurate. No wonder the police have to protect them as many would need counselling if they broke a finger nail, although there is a small number of hard cases amongst them. I remember a coach load of anti-fascist activists at Dover just before National Action were proscribed and them staining their pants when just three far-right activists approached the coach from 100 metres away. The leader of Stand Up to Racism, Weyman Bennett, was on the coach and he looked shame faced at the cowardly behaviour of his activists. But that's what you get with student activists who go on to live middle class lives with good jobs in the public sector, especially teaching. If they were hard to start with, and some are, they certainly don't want to lose their cosy teaching jobs with street fights. The hard cases in their ranks are more working class, who are the foot soldiers for the intellectuals, and some just like the violence with a cause to hang it on.