‘Is that a regret?’ GB News’s Charlie Peters grills Essex Police chief after Nigel Farage called for his resignation

Anti-migrant protesters were already outside the hotel and they say the arrival of counter-demonstrators resulted in a large outbreak of street violence.

Harrington faced the media on Wednesday to speak about how Essex Police have fared in the face of unrest.

Charlie asked: “Your colleague, Stuart Hooper, said ‘in terms of bringing people to the hotel, the police have a duty to facilitate free assembly’.

“The force initially said it did not bring anyone to the hotel but your colleague seems to suggest that had happened after footage emerged.

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“Can you set the record straight then, was Stuart wrong when he said that?”

Harrington responded: “Under the law of this country as it stands, people have the freedom to assembly and to freedom of speech.”

Charlie interrupted to ask a follow-up question of “so your officers did bring people towards that hotel?”

“Listen to my answer”, Harrington said, before continuing: “that is the duty. There is a duty upon policing to allow people to exercise their right of assembly and protest.

“That is a right under that Human Rights Act. People came under their own volition, they walked up to that protest to make sure we understand that threat and manage and deal with the risks and issues, as we did outside the hotel, as we did on the high street.

“We had officers there and they walked alongside to make sure they understood so they could intervene and prevent crime. That’s what happened, that’s what the photos show and that’s what we did.”

Police shuttle activists between Epping and Canary Wharf - WATCH

Charlie asked if there was any “regret” among Essex Police’s top brass given the “well known” hostilities between the two protest groups and the likelihood of tensions erupting.

“It’s not for me to comment or try and criticise or examine that operation”, said Harrington.

“We made 10 arrests. We have managed to ensure that those who were there peacefully protesting were able to do that, and there were many more of those.

“They were able to do that and that’s our priority, making sure they can do that.

“Where people stepped across that line, where they broke the law, they were arrested and the court records will show they have been charged and some remanded.

“That’s the position we take around that criminality.”

Essex Police denied claims it transported counter-demonstrators to the Epping asylum seeker hotel, saying such suggestions are “categorically wrong”.

The police’s handling of the demonstration has come under fire on social media with posts questioning their involvement in how opposing groups made their way to the site.

The force clarified their actual involvement, explaining that officers established pedestrian cordons to accompany protesters exercising their lawful right to demonstrate.

A spokesman explained: "Officers did provide a foot cordon around protesters on their way to the protest, where they and others were allowed to exercise their right to protest."

Additionally, the force revealed that vehicles were used later in the operation, but solely for safety purposes.

The spokesman added: "Later some people who were clearly at risk of being hurt were also escorted by vehicle away from the area for their safety."