Four arrested after demonstrators hurl eggs and beer cans at police in latest Epsom protest
Police have said there is no evidence so far to support the woman's rape claim or that asylum seekers or immigrants were involved in the alleged attack.
Four people have been arrested after beer cans and eggs were hurled at police by protestors who took to the streets following a reported rape of a girl in Epsom.
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The demonstration in the Surrey town “escalated to public disorder” and included “missiles being thrown”, according to Surrey Police.
The force continues to investigate allegations made by a woman in her 20s who claims she was attacked outside Epsom Methodist Church on April 11 after leaving a nightclub.
Police later said there was no evidence that immigrants or asylum seekers had been involved in the incident.
Read more: Police launch investigation after woman gang raped outside Surrey church
A live stream of the protest in Epsom showed around 30 officers with riot gear who seemed to be protecting a property.
According to Surrey Police, the protest began at 17:00 BST outside the train station before protestors "targeted local hotels and residential properties with claims they were housing people seeking asylum," which it added was "wholly inaccurate information".
On Monday, Surrey police said that the four arrested individuals are in custody on suspicion of offences including criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker.
The force previously said it did not have enough information to release descriptions of the suspects.
This decision was met with backlash from the local community.
Sarah Grahame, Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing, explained: "To date, we have not found any evidence of the offence as reported, but the investigation is ongoing.”
She went on: “There has been much speculation about the non-release of a description of any suspects, especially regarding the ethnicity.
“No descriptions have been released as the information about the incident and potential suspects is so limited.”
