Britannia Hotel incident prompts charges

Channay Augustus, 22, faces multiple charges after a resident entering her flat at the Britannia Hotel led to an altercation that also involved a security guard.

Woman charged after resident enters her flat at a hotel housing migrants

A 22-year-old woman named Channay Augustus has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon, affray, assault on an emergency worker, common assault and possession of cannabis after an incident at the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf on Wednesday. A migrant in his early 20s, who had been staying at the hotel, was arrested on suspicion of common assault and remains in police custody. Footage circulated showing a man entering a residence after being told to return to the hotel, and he was later detained by members of the public. Augustus is described as an occupant of the flat involved in the incident.

Metropolitan Police say the affray and common assault charges relate to the altercation at the hotel that evening. The migrant who had been staying at the hotel was arrested in Hackney on suspicion of common assault and is in custody. Protests outside the Britannia Hotel have taken place in recent weeks, a sign of broader tensions linked to migrant housing in the area.

The episode sits at the crossroad of housing policy and public security. Hotels used to shelter migrants have become pressure points in some neighborhoods, and this case underlines the risk to staff and residents when rules are tested. It also highlights how local policing and housing authorities must coordinate to separate individual disputes from broader debates about asylum and support services. Public reaction could shape policy momentum, so officials will be watched for how they communicate about safety, rights, and accountability.

Highlights

The outcome may influence how cities balance shelter with safety in dynamic, crowded neighborhoods.