Two men have been arrested after police were injured as they intervened to protect men believed to be asylum seekers from angry mobs trying to break into their homes in Thetford, Norfolk.
The arrests followed two nights of unrest involving more than 100 people protesting against plans to house asylum seekers in former military barracks near the market town. The unrest was sparked by the online circulation of a list of properties whose landlords have contracts with a government contractor to provide homes for asylum seekers.
Police injured during unrest
Norfolk police said on Wednesday one officer was struck by a rock, another was bitten, and a third was spat at while responding to reports of protesters trying to break into a home in the north of the town. The injured officers were taken to hospital.
One man in his 40s, arrested on suspected public order offences, remains in custody. A second man, Brian Thompson, 68, has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon, a wooden bat, and is due to appear at Norwich magistrates court on 25 August.
Violence over two nights
On Tuesday night, officers intervened to protect five men threatened by dozens of protesters, some of whom tried to break into a property, smashed a window, and damaged a fence and letterbox. Police were responding to a report that between 30 and 50 people were trying to enter a house in the west of Thetford.
Video footage showed the men being escorted to safety by officers as protesters jeered and shouted abuse. Shouts of “refugees not welcome”, “get out” and “bye” could be heard. In another video, a man shouted: “They don’t want the white man any more, they want to swap us.”
Later on Tuesday, officers responded to reports of residents being threatened at two homes in the south of the town. At one home, windows were smashed; at another, a resident was forced out and had their mobile phone stolen when a small group forced entry.
A man in his 30s arrested over Tuesday’s unrest on suspicion of a public order offence has been released with a conditional caution.
MP condemns 'mob rule'
The local Labour MP, Terry Jermy, who has previously criticised plans to use the former barracks at RAF Barnham to house up to 1,000 asylum seekers, condemned the violence and what he called “mob rule”. He said protesters were targeting a list of houses of multiple occupation used by Serco to house asylum seekers.
“There doesn’t seem to be protests at all of the properties known about thus far, so the potential for increase and escalation is clearly there,” he said. “I’ve had constituents contact me of mixed ethnicity who are terrified that they will be misidentified as asylum seekers and what that might mean for their families.”
Jermy said he recognised many of the protesters as local people in the videos, but believed tensions were being “whipped up by outside forces”. In a statement, he said: “The ugly scenes in Thetford over the past few days have been difficult to watch and are deeply concerning. 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. I do not know the immigration status of the people placed in these properties or their legal status, but I know they are human beings that must be afforded the same rights that we all expect in this country. Whatever our own individual views on immigration – mob rule and vigilantism is not acceptable.”
Police response
Norfolk police also condemned the violence. Assistant chief constable Julie Dean, overseeing the response, said: “We will always facilitate and support the right to peaceful protest. However, no matter how strongly those views are held, there is no place for violence, intimidation or criminal behaviour. 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.”
Policing powers in Norfolk were increased in Thetford on Thursday evening. Public safety measures have been imposed, including people being required to remove a face covering if asked to do so by officers. Police will also be permitted to direct anyone committing, or whom they suspect may commit, antisocial behaviour to leave the area. The measures are in place from 6pm on Thursday until 7am on Friday. Anyone who refuses to remove a face covering when asked may be arrested, the force said.
