LONDON (AP) — An Ethiopian man was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl days after he had sought asylum in Britain, in a case that triggered angry protests at hotels housing migrants.
A judge at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court east of London convicted Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu of two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence.
Prosecutors said Kebatu, 41, had arrived in England by small boat just over a week before he tried to kiss the 14-year-old on a bench in the town of Epping, put his hand on her thigh and stroked her hair.
He also sexually assaulted a woman who had offered to help him with his CV by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty, the prosecution said.
Kebatu had denied the charges.
Judge Christopher Williams said he would sentence the defendant on Sept. 23.
Kebatu's arrest and prosecution sparked protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, where he was staying along with other newly arrived migrants. More protests followed, in Epping and other towns, involving local people but also organized and attended by far-right activists. In some cases the demonstrators were outnumbered by counterprotesters supporting refugees.
Tensions have long simmered over the British government’s policy of using hotels to house migrants who are awaiting a decision on their asylum status. Critics say it costs taxpayers millions of pounds, while the hotels become flashpoints in communities and leave migrants feeling targeted by local residents.
The British government has pledged to stop migrants trying to reach Britain across the Channel and to end the use of asylum hotels, but says it will take time.
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Protesters gather outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, near London, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 after a temporary injunction that would have blocked asylum seekers from being housed at the hotel was overturned. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Police officers escort protesters near the Bell Hotel in Epping, London, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 after a temporary injunction that would have blocked asylum seekers from being housed at the hotel was overturned. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — An armed man standing atop one of the historic Teotihuacán pyramids opened fire on tourists Monday, leaving one Canadian tourist dead and six people injured at the archaeological site an hour north of Mexico’s capital, authorities said.
The shooter later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a statement.
The local government said four people were wounded by gunshots and two were injured from falls. The victims were taken to hospitals for treatment. They include Colombian, Russian and Canadian tourists, the local government said. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.
Video and photos published by local news organizations show a man standing with a gun on top of a pyramid while people duck for cover. A number of gunshots ring out in the videos.
The incident took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. A man standing on the structure’s platform began firing upward, according to a tour guide who was at the scene and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
“Some people, because they were scared ... threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the guide said, recounting how the shooter, upon seeing the tourists descending the pyramid’s steps, began firing.
Another group of visitors lay motionless on the pyramid’s platform to avoid being targeted by the shooter.
The first to respond to the shooting were the police officers providing security within the archaeological ruins, and shortly afterward a National Guard unit arrived in a van to handle the emergency.
In past years, staff at the archaeological site carried out security scans before people entered the area but have since stopped.
The guide showed a video that he took showing a woman limping and her back covered in blood and another man’s arm being bandaged.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy.
“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.
Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, said on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones. ”
The Teotihuacán pyramids are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations. As one of Mexico's most important touristic destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.
Security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition after the shooting.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Police patrol the pyramids after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Forensic workers carry the body of a victim down a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire, in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Police and forensic workers stand on a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Forensic workers remove a victim's body from a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
FILE - The Pyramid of the Moon, left, and the Pyramid of the Sun, back right, are seen along with smaller structures lining the Avenue of the Dead, in Teotihuacan, Mexico, March 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
