British court rejects local government bid to ban migrant accommodation

The local authority in Epping, UK, has failed in a legal bid to evict migrants from the local Bell Hotel. The motion was brought after an accusation of sexual assault by one of the hotel's residents, which sparked months of protests against the presence of migrants.

The local government subsequently went to court to prevent the accommodation of migrants in local hotels and sought an injunction against the hotel owner as he did not have the necessary permission to accommodate asylum seekers.

The British Home Office opposed the initiative, arguing that restricting the ability to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels would significantly affect the government's ability to meet its legal obligation to provide overnight accommodation for asylum seekers.

The court ultimately rejected the local authority's application and the Bell Hotel continues to be used to accommodate asylum seekers, despite continued protests and concerns from sections of the local community.

(reuters, sie)