Asylum seekers are set to be removed from a hotel in Essex after Epping Forest District Council secured a temporary High Court injunction preventing the site from being used to accommodate them.In recent weeks, thousands have protested outside the hotel following the arrest of an Ethiopian asylum seeker who was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the area.The court ruled that all asylum seekers must leave the hotel by 16:00 BST on 12 September. The Home Office has cautioned that the decision could “significantly affect” its capacity to house asylum seekers in hotels across the country.

Demonstrations at The Bell Hotel have included both opponents of its use for asylum seekers and campaigners supporting migrant rights.The accused, 41-year-old Hadush Kebatu from Ethiopia, has been charged with sexual assault, harassment, and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. He has denied all charges and remains in custody ahead of his two-day trial scheduled to begin next Tuesday.