The Home Office announced in June that it was considering using the base to accommodate asylum seekers.
People take part in a protest outside RAF Barnham in Thetford (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
Dozens of protesters gathered outside a former RAF base which could be used to house asylum seekers, after anti-immigration disorder in nearby Thetford earlier this week. The Home Office announced in June that it was considering using Barnham Camp in Suffolk to accommodate people seeking asylum, and there have since been regular peaceful protests at the site.
On Sunday, campaigners protested once again outside the gates of the camp. Union and St George’s cross flags were flown and some demonstrators held placards which read “Barnham says no. Protect our community”, and Reform UK Norfolk county councillor Scott Hussey gave a speech. Tensions flared in Thetford, Norfolk, this week when people attempted to storm homes linked to asylum seekers and police officers were assaulted in three nights of unrest Police in Norfolk said officers were “subjected to significant aggression” in the market town on Wednesday, one was hit with a rock, one was bitten and another spat at.
Reform UK councillor Scott Hussey speaking as people take part in a protest outside RAF Barnham (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
The force said on Saturday that Friday night in Thetford had been “largely peaceful”, although three people were arrested and a window was smashed.
Some of those who protested in the town this week included participants in the regular protests outside the former military site, the Guardian reported.
Police were at the scene of Sunday’s protest, and officers said they attended to “support the lawful right to protest while helping to ensure the safety of everyone involved and the wider public”.
A Suffolk Constabulary spokesperson added: “Policing protests requires us to balance the right of individuals to peacefully express their views with our responsibility to protect local communities, including protesters, residents and road-users.
“Our policing response will continue to be kept under review, informed by the latest available information and ongoing assessments of any potential risks to public safety.
“Previous protests at Ministry of Defence (MoD) Barnham have been peaceful, and we would like to thank all those involved for expressing their views in a lawful and respectful manner.
There have been several regular peaceful protests at the site since the Home Office announcement (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
“We are confident that this positive approach will continue.”
T
he Home Office said the site was being assessed but plans would be subject to planning permission and approvals.
The camp would accommodate men aged between 18 and 65 who have applied for asylum.
No asylum seekers are yet housed at the site, which Suffolk Constabulary said is a training site for the Norfolk and Suffolk forces.
Police said some vehicles, such as buses seen on site, were used for training purposes and people on site include police, MoD employees and security staff
GB News halted for breaking migrant alert – it’s more bad news for Andy Burnham
The programme aired a breaking announcement about the ongoing migrant crisis.
GB News was interrupted for a breaking announcement, in a major blow to Andy Burnham. Mark White and Ellie Costello revealed that nearly 1000 migrants crossed the English Channel over the weekend. Speaking on Monday (August 10) morning’s programme, he said: “News for you on the small boat situation. An update in the figures coming from our producer down in Kent, which tells us now 950, around that figure is the total number of illegal immigrants who crossed the English Channel over this past weekend.
“Just shy of 1,000 crossings in a single weekend. That tells you all you need to know about the depth of this crisis. The government likes to tell us the numbers are down, which they are compared to last year, but it only takes a couple of good days and you can see the figures shooting up again.” In July, it was reported that Care4Calais, a left-wing organisation which supports migrants, was coordinating a campaign to demand “safe routes now” for those who would cross the Channel.
The announcement is a major blow to Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Image: Getty)
The charity has now reportedly handed out more than 162,000 items to migrants entering the UK, including 2,000 free SIM cards with 6 months of data preloaded.
Care4Calais’s annual report details how volunteers have hand-delivered 162,000 items in the UK and France, delivering a total of 2,221 Vodafone SIM cards, 3,765 hoodies, 3,532 pairs of joggers and 1,174 t-shirts to ensure the migrants are clothed and can call and text.
Meanwhile, when 60,000 migrants from Morocco crossed the border of the Spanish enclave Ceuta at the beginning of the month, it was reported that Spain had denied the migrants food and water in effort to get them to leave.
Comparing Spain’s handling of the crisis with that of the UK, GB News presenter Dawn Neesom said: “Can you imagine if we did that in this country rather than give them a hotel?”
Taking aim at the Labour government, Mark highlighted that the migrants were being “pushed back over the border without any regard to their claiming asylum”.
Labour’s Immigration and Asylum Bill will make it harder for foreign criminals and rejected asylum seekers to use human rights laws to block their removal.
However, union barons working with Care4Calais are attempting to force Burnham to water down the plans.
Addressing the proposal for so-called safe and legal routes and refugee sponsorship for migrants during a debate in parliament, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned: “The numbers that we are talking about would be in addition to the number of asylum claims that we are already processing.
“Last year saw the highest number of asylum claims in history. From memory, it was somewhere around 109,000. This year, the number will be only slightly lower.
“Adding to that, when we already have record numbers of asylum claims strikes me as irresponsible. She also asserted that the people entering through these routes would not be a burden on the general taxpayer because their sponsors would look after them.
“She neglected to mention that that support has to last only for the first year.”
He added: “Thereafter, the taxpayer would have to pick up the tab. I must say that I do not support the creation of these schemes until we have illegal immigration and asylum claims down essentially to zero.”