Further arrests have been conducted in Thetford following attempts by a crowd to breach homes associated with asylum seekers, resulting in attacks on police officers. Norfolk Police confirmed that two men were apprehended on Thursday after two consecutive nights of unrest in the market town. One individual was detained for allegedly inciting racial hatred during the events on Wednesday, while the other was held for disorderly conduct and refusal to provide identification to officers upon request.
In response to the prior disturbances, police escalated their enforcement actions on Thursday evening. The escalation was prompted by significant aggression towards officers on Wednesday, with incidents including an officer being struck by a rock, another bitten, and a third spat at. Two officers had to be hospitalized after responding to the volatile situation at Clover Way that night, described by police as rapidly evolving as a crowd advanced towards a residential property.
During the events on Tuesday night, windows were smashed, fences destroyed, and attempts were made to forcibly enter a residential premises, according to law enforcement.
The protestors’ actions to break into homes were motivated by suspicions that the residences were being used to accommodate asylum seekers. Video footage circulating on social media purportedly showed police guiding a group of asylum seekers away from the area’s properties.
Critics, including eyewitnesses and social media users, raised concerns about the police response, with reports alleging that a woman in a mobility scooter was pepper-sprayed on Wednesday. The police defended their use of force as appropriate and proportionate, including the deployment of Pava spray.
A police spokeswoman addressed the incident involving the woman on a mobility scooter, stating that while unintended, individuals remaining in areas of disorder despite police instructions could be affected by safety measures deployed.
An anonymous resident of Clover Way recounted that on Wednesday around 9:30 pm, a group of young individuals arrived on bikes and threw eggs at a house. The initially peaceful demonstration turned rowdy as more officers arrived and formed a line, leading to some individuals moving towards the police.
The resident noted that no one attempted to enter the property but observed police pepper-spraying individuals, including a woman in a wheelchair. Some individuals were seen throwing stones at a police car.
Law enforcement brought in a riot van to block the front of the house, wielded batons, made arrests, and ordered the crowd to disperse. Norfolk Police confirmed two arrests on Wednesday night for offenses such as public order breaches, harassment, and possession of an offensive weapon, with one individual in his 40s remaining in custody.
Brian Thompson, 68, from Fairfields, Thetford, has been charged with possessing an offensive weapon, specifically a wooden bat, and has been released on bail pending his appearance before Norwich Magistrates’ Court on August 25.
A man in his 30s, arrested in connection with Tuesday’s incidents for a public order offense, has been released with a conditional caution following his arrest on Wednesday.