Female officer 'seriously bitten' as mob attacks homes believed to house asylum seekers in Norfolk market town

Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google

Thetford in Norfolk was plunged into disarray on Wednesday night, with protesters hurling rocks at officers and smashing doors and windows in a bid to gain access to the properties, with one female officer "seriously bitten".

Norfolk Police said they responded to the unrest on St John's Way at 9.30pm on Wednesday night, following reports that members of 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.

Violence spilled over onto nearby Bracken and Elm Roads, with one resident "forced out of his home and robbed of his phone", the Mail reports.

Read more: Passport to Piddington: Oxfordshire village to hold independence referendum over asylum seeker housing plans

Read more: Asylum seekers jailed for raping woman on Brighton beach

Norfolk Police said they made two arrests on Wednesday night for a range of 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.

The furious protest erupted after weeks of simmering unrest over plans to house 1,250 male migrants inside a nearby military barracks at RAF Barnham in Suffolk.

Crowds gathered on St John's Way on Tuesday and proceeded to swell in size amid rumours that they were HMO's for male asylum seekers.

In one video posted on social media, which shows dozens of cops stationed outside the row of houses facing an angry crowd, a man can be overheard saying: "They don't want the white man anymore, they want us all gone."

Police were filmed escorting five men, two of whom wore hoodies tightly bound over their faces, from the houses on St John's Way, amid shouts of 'get out' and cries of ‘traitors’ directed at officers.

After the men were bundled into a police van, protestors later moved onto another house around a mile away Elm Road which is believed to be preparing to house asylum seekers.

One woman screamed at officers, "treason", and others yelled "shame on you" as they tried to calm the mob.

The resident of the house on Elm Road was "forced out of his home and robbed of his phone", the Mail reports.

Then the chaos moved to Bracken Road where a house had its windows and doors smashed in.

The market town is just three miles from RAF Barnham in Suffolk where asylum seeker housing is planned.

Local MP for South West Norfolk Terry Jermy said the scenes were "deeply disturbing", adding: "I utterly condemn this behaviour, and I know many Thetford residents share my disgust and concern.'

"Following these incidents, many local residents from diverse backgrounds have been in touch with my office sharing fears for their safety.

"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."

A government spokesman told the Mail: "The concerns of communities are central to our immigration reforms. 

"That’s why we are working with local authorities and others to make the system fairer by housing asylum seekers in basic accommodation, including ex-military sites. Five military sites are either in use or being explored.

"The population of asylum seekers in hotels has fallen by 35 per cent in the last year and by 63 per cent from the peak of 56,000 in 2023. 'Overall asylum costs have already fallen by nearly £1billion since the general election."

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called to St John’s Way, Thetford, at 8.12pm [on Tuesday] following reports that a group of people, who didn’t 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.

"A man aged in his 30s was arrested [yesterday] on suspicion of a public order offence. He has been taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning, where he remains.

"The investigation into the incidents, which are being linked, remains ongoing."