‘Before, I felt safe and the locals were nice’: asylum seekers on how Epping protests have transformed daily life

An asylum seeker who lives at the Bell hotel, Epping, whose residents are now confined to their rooms while protests are going on. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

Asylum seekers living in the Essex hotel that has become a target of protests and far-right incitement have said they fear for their lives after being attacked on the streets and, in some cases, needing medical treatment afterwards.

The situation for men living in the Bell hotel, where they had previously felt safe, has been transformed since the protests began, according to another asylum seeker who was filmed being chased down the street by men involved in the demonstrations.