Two men have been arrested after police officers were taken to hospital during a second night of disorder in the market town of Thetford, which has seen anti-immigration protests.
Norfolk Police said significant resources were deployed to Thetford on Wednesday night to maintain public safety after a large group gathered on Clover Way. At about 9.30pm, officers responded to reports that people in the group were trying to gain access to a residential property. As police intervened, members of the group became physically aggressive towards officers – two were taken to hospital after a male officer was struck with a rock and a female officer was seriously bitten, breaking the skin. A third officer was also spat at.
Arrests and charges
Norfolk Police said two arrests were made on Wednesday night for offences including public order, harassment and possession of an offensive weapon. One man 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.
Prior to the incident on Clover Way, a large crowd had gathered outside the police station for an anti-immigration protest, which police said was largely peaceful.
MP condemns scenes
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, whose South West Norfolk constituency abuts RAF Barnham, 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.
In a statement, Mr Jermy said: “I am concerned that these latest incidents weaken our legitimate concerns about the Home Office’s proposals and further divert local police resources away from dealing with other local policing priorities.” He also said: “People have been pulled from their homes – a place of safety – and forcibly removed, with reports of members of the public breaking into homes, taking property and smashing windows. This would have been utterly terrifying for the people in these properties and also very worrying for neighbouring residents. I utterly condemn this behaviour, and I know many Thetford residents share my disgust and concern.”
Second night of disorder
It is the second night of disorder in the town following incidents on Tuesday night where properties were damaged by having windows smashed and fences broken, and people attempted to break into a residential property. Norfolk Police said officers were called to St John’s Way at 8.12pm on Tuesday following reports a group of people, who did not live at the address, were “attempting to get inside and smashed a window, and damaged a fence panel and letter box”. The group were shouting and preventing a workman from leaving.
A resident of the same property reported a group of between 30 and 50 people trying to get into the house. Officers attended a second address on Bracken Road where some of the group believed to be present at the previous incidents smashed the windows of the property. A third incident happened on Elm Road where a smaller group entered a property and forced out the resident and stole their mobile phone.
The Eastern Daily Press reported the unrest followed fears the properties were being used to house asylum seekers. Video posted on social media appeared to show five men being escorted from the houses by police as an angry crowd booed and shouted “get out”.
Police response
Assistant Chief Constable Julie Dean, who is overseeing the police response, said: “We will always facilitate and support the right to peaceful protest, and we recognise that people may hold strong views and feelings about issues. However, no matter how strongly those views are held, there is no place for violence, intimidation or criminal behaviour. Our role is to keep people safe. We have a duty to protect everyone in our communities, maintain public order and prevent harm. We will not stand by and allow violence to take place, whether that is directed towards members of the public, local residents or police officers carrying out their duties.”
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.
