Two men were arrested after a female police officer was “seriously bitten” and crowds attempted to storm homes linked to asylum seekers during a second night of disorder in Thetford, Norfolk. Two police officers were taken to hospital following the anti-immigration protests on Wednesday.
Police defend response
Norfolk Police defended its response, which included the use of Pava spray, as appropriate and proportionate. A spokeswoman said: “Officers were dealing with a fast-moving and volatile situation in which a crowd had moved towards a residential property and tensions were escalating.”
“Despite repeated instructions from officers, a number of individuals failed to comply and continued to move towards the location.” Responders were “subjected to significant aggression”, including an officer hit with a rock and another who was spat at, she added.
Second night of unrest
This followed incidents on Tuesday night where windows were smashed, fences broken, and people attempted to break into a residential property, police said. Increased police powers were granted on Thursday evening, meaning officers could direct people to remove face coverings or leave the area if they commit or “may commit” anti-social behaviour.
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice claimed the disorder is a sign “local people are furious that large numbers of illegal migrants are being dumped into their locality”. He told Times Radio: “Those local communities should be allowed to express that concern and anxiety without instantly being smeared and labelled as being bigots in some way. That is very different to any form of violence.”
Local criticism
The police response was criticised by some local people. A resident of Clover Way, who asked not to be named, said that at around 9.30pm on Wednesday “lots of young boys … came up on bikes and chucked eggs at the house”. The largely seated protest started “peaceful” until extra officers arrived and formed a line, she said. Then “it started to get a little bit rowdy” and “people took a step forward towards the police”.
No one tried to get into the house, she said, adding that police “started pepper-spraying people” including “a lady in a wheelchair”. There were “a few young idiots picking up stones, lobbing them at a police car.” “They brought a riot van down and blocked the front of the house,” she said, adding that officers got out batons, made arrests and told people to leave.
A man who lives nearby, who asked not to be named, also criticised the police response and claimed officers pepper-sprayed a woman in a mobility scooter. He said: “That’s disgusting when we’ve got police going round like that.” Some young children threw stones at the windows, he said.
Police statement on Pava use
A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: “Pava was deployed proportionately and in line with officer training in response to the behaviour of an individual within the crowd. We understand that concerns have been raised about a woman using a mobility scooter who was affected during the incident. It was not the intention for any bystander to be impacted; however, where people remain within an area of active disorder and do not follow police instructions to move away, there is a risk they may be affected by tactics deployed to protect public safety.”
Scott Hussey, a Reform UK councillor for the Brecks ward for Norfolk County Council, said the street was divided with 30 officers on one side and about 80 “people from the town” on the other. “Many people who had just come out of their houses to watch.” It was “mainly peaceful” when he was there, he said, adding: “I saw some people throwing eggs at the building. For most of the time it was a sit-down protest.”
MP's response
The town’s MP, Terry Jermy, said the “ugly scenes in Thetford over the past few days have been difficult to watch and are deeply concerning”. Mr Jermy has previously called on the Home Office to end “secrecy and confusion” around plans to house more asylum seekers in former military barracks – including at RAF Barnham near Thetford.
Norfolk Police said two arrests were made on Wednesday night for offences including public order, harassment and possession of an offensive weapon. One man aged in his 40s remains in custody. Brian Thompson, 68, of Fairfields, Thetford, has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon, namely a wooden bat. He has been released on bail and is due to appear at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on August 25.
Tuesday night saw officers called to multiple Thetford addresses after groups smashed windows and attempted to enter properties. A small group gained access to one property, forced out a resident and stole their mobile phone, the force said. A man aged in his 30s, who was arrested on Wednesday following Tuesday’s incidents on suspicion of a public order offence, has since been released and issued with a conditional caution.
