Police issue disorder warning after Epsom rape protest

Surrey Police has said it "will not tolerate disorder" following a protest in Epsom over the rape of a woman outside a church by several men.

Riot police were deployed on Wednesday evening after people took to the streets demanding a description of the suspects.

Before the protest, police had released two official statements since Saturday's rape, saying in the second that they did not have "sufficient information" to release descriptions.

The BBC has approached Surrey Police several times for more details about the rape and those responsible.

The rape happened in the early hours outside Epsom Methodist Church after the victim, a woman in her 20s, was followed after leaving Labyrinth Epsom nightclub.

The force has urged people not to speculate about the identity of the suspects, stating: "This may lead to additional tensions within our local communities."

Dozens of police officers were deployed to the protest in Epsom High Street, with photos from the scene appearing to show people throwing objects at them.

The protesters also blocked the road, causing disruption to motorists, according to the force.

Ch Supt Mark Chapman said: "We respect the right to lawful protest and will facilitate this wherever possible where it is safe to do so.

"However, criminal offences and public disorder will not be tolerated, and we will always take robust action against anyone who commits a criminal offence."

Chapman added that Wednesday's "significant police presence" had been to "support the group's right to lawful protest and minimise disruption to the local community".

He said that the protest "may have caused concern to people in the town centre", but that officers' priority had been to "ensure the safety of the wider public, as well as the safety of those involved in the protest".

Epsom Methodist Church is to hold a "community act" on Thursday, aiming to "raise our voices for women who are vulnerable and all who are victimised".

Reverend Catherine Hutton called the attack "horrifying and completely shocking", but criticised the protest as having been "pretty intimidating".

On the attack, she said that nothing of "this scale of horror" had happened in Epsom before.

She added that her church's event would be an outlet for people to express any "feelings of compassion and outrage in a meaningful and positive way".

She said: "Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that, and that is why we are having an act of hope for the community, so we can stand together and declare we are good people."

Meanwhile, Epsom MP Helen Maguire said that the protest had been hijacked by "right-wing online activists" who wanted to "fan the flames of divisiveness".

Mark Laxton, an Epsom resident who joined the protest on Wednesday, said: "I was there to support. You don't want things like this happening on your doorstep.

"All people want is answers because no one is safe any more."

He added: "There was me and around 200 to 300 other people. It was all set up online.

"No woman is safe and women should be. You hardly see police walking the streets and that's what frustrates people. Hopefully we will have made them think."

Subhir Singh, owner of Epsom Dry Cleaners, closed his shop ahead of the protest on Wednesday.

He said: "They first started shouting at the police and then some people started throwing eggs at them.

"It is not nice what's been happening. Someone above the police needs to do something."

Madhur Gupta, who works at Epsom Food and Wine in Epsom High Street, said the police instructed the shop to close at about 17:30 BST.

"I think all the shops closed after the protest started," he said.

Officers are still appealing for witnesses, particularly anyone who saw a woman in distress in the area of Ashley Road between 02:00 and 04:00 on Saturday.

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