Two men jailed for violent disorder at anti-migrant protests outside Epping asylum hotel
Footage showed the pair damaging police vehicles throughout the evening
Two men have been jailed over violent anti-migrant protests outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Essex.
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Jonathan Glover, 48, and Charlie Land, 24, were sentenced to jail for their "entirely unacceptable" behaviour outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, last summer - which police say left the community "scared and anxious".
Glover, from Waltham Abbey, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Land, from Hatfield, was jailed for 32 months.
The pair were convicted of violent disorder following a 10-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, with Land also found guilty of criminal damage.
Footage showed Glover shouting at officers and obstructing police carriers as they arrived in Epping on 17 July 2025.
Drone and body-worn camera footage showed Land repeatedly damaging police vehicles throughout the evening.
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Police said 11 men have now been convicted over the disorder, with 10 sentenced to immediate prison terms totalling more than 17 years.
Chief Inspector Terry Fisher said the disorder left residents “scared and anxious”, disrupted businesses and damaged Epping’s reputation.
The Epping Forest and Brentwood district commander said: “Each of these sentences is a reminder of the impact of this disorder – the community in Epping was left scared and anxious, daily life was disrupted, and businesses felt the effect of closing early, with the town’s reputation affected.
“Whilst many people who wanted their voices to be heard on an important issue did that safely, a number chose to behave well beyond that and these convictions and sentences show that behaviour is and was entirely unacceptable.”