Daily Mail
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Lettice Bromovsky, Isaac Crowson
In Essex, UK, private security guards began patrolling areas like Colchester, Braintree, and Chelmsford after reports that male migrants were making women fearful of going outdoors alone. The Reform-led county council initiated "Operation Vanguard" in response to local concerns. Guards have already dealt with their first incident shortly after starting patrols, involving a group of masked youths entering a store. Locals like Elena Sokolova and Sophie Edmonds describe feeling unsafe due to perceived harassment from migrants, including unwanted comments and intimidation.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
Private security guards carried out their first patrol in Essex on Monday after male migrants have left women scared to go out alone.
asserted
migrants → see → women
The Reform-led county council has hired contractors to monitor migrants on the streets of Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford – with the first walkabouts starting this week.
asserted
walkabouts → lead → Colchester
Locals in Colchester say that on days when asylum seekers are brought into the city from MDP Wethersfield – a former RAF base in the Essex countryside – the atmosphere can feel very different.
asserted
atmosphere → say → countryside
Women are reportedly being told to 'cover up', girls are allegedly being filmed on mobile phones and groups of young men have been accused of staring, making comments and intimidating locals.
uncertain
groups → tell → locals
Reform said the patrols – named Operation Vanguard – came as a 'direct response to concerns raised amongst local residents, particularly women and girls, over gatherings of male migrants in town centres'.
asserted
patrols → say → centres
Within just moments of their shift starting, officers in Chelmsford were already dealing with their first incident in the city centre.
asserted
officers → start → centre
Two operatives were called by concerned members of the public who had seen a group of four masked youths enter Poundland, believing them to be migrants.
asserted
them → call → Poundland
The team entered the store, asked them to leave and watched as they moved on.
asserted
they → enter → them
They also spoke to numerous locals about their roles.
asserted
They → speak → roles
Some residents in Colchester claimed that the arrival of the migrants has made some women and families avoid the city centre altogether.
asserted
women → claim → centre
Elena Sokolova, 38, told the Daily Mail: 'The problem is, they don't integrate in society.
asserted
they → tell → society
I am a migrant and I integrated into the British way of life.
asserted
I → integrate → life
The men make comments about women, they say they should be dressed more and cover up.
asserted
they → make → women
They film the girls in the town.
asserted
They → film → town
More efforts need to be made to get them to integrate into the British way of life.
asserted
them → need → life
That's what I had to do.
asserted
I → have → what
But they have their own culture.'
asserted
they → have → culture
Two private security guards speak to a local in Braintree, Essex, after the Reform-led county council launched patrols aimed at monitoring migrants
Two more security guards were seen on the streets of Chelmsford and contractors will also be conducting walkabouts in Colchester
Private security guards chat to locals in Braintree yesterday
For Sophie Edmonds, 33, the problem is personal.
asserted
problem → speak → Edmonds
The shop worker says she has experienced 'big issues' with male migrants and now avoids walking around Colchester alone.
asserted
she → say → Colchester
She added: 'Me and my friends have had comments and looks.
asserted
Me → add → comments
They make noises.
asserted
They → make → noises
I hate it.
asserted
I → hate → it
We don't walk around here on our own.
asserted
We → walk → own
They stare in groups.
asserted
They → stare → groups
I've lived here all my life.
asserted
I → live → ?
I never had a bad experience in Colchester until the migrants moved into the camp.
asserted
migrants → have → camp
'I feel so passionately about it because you shouldn't feel unsafe in your own town.
asserted
you → feel → town
You should be fine to walk out in the day and go to work without fear of something bad happening.
asserted
something → walk → fear
Nobody listens to us though.
asserted
Nobody → listen → us
Ms Edmonds believes the impact extends beyond young women.
asserted
impact → believe → women
She added: 'I think everyone is impacted.
asserted
everyone → add → ?
The town is nowhere near as busy as it used to be.
asserted
it → use → ?
You'd rather shop in a town where you're not going to feel scared to walk through.
asserted
you → shop → town
That makes sense if people are being menaced.
asserted
people → make → sense
It feels like a no-go area.'
asserted
It → feel → area
Locals in Chelmsford said they were 'relieved' and 'overjoyed' at the scheme.
asserted
they → say → scheme
John Howes, who lives nearby, said his wife and daughter are now too scared to enter the city.
asserted
wife → live → city
The 66-year-old said: 'My wife and daughter came on Saturday night into Chelmsford and they won't be coming back.
asserted
they → say → Chelmsford
I think this is a really good idea.
asserted
this → think → ?
I know a woman who has been followed across the town by a migrant.
asserted
who → know → migrant
…and 56 more, not listed.
The Aporia
