At least three men have been arrested and two police officers injured.
The scene in Thetford (Image: PA)
A UK town has been plunged into chaos as a violent mob of up to 100 people stormed houses they believed were home to asylum seekers.
Five men believed to be asylum seekers were rescued from a property in Thetford, Norfolk, by police in front of a baying crowd on Tuesday night. Video posted on social media appeared to show five men being escorted from houses by police as an angry crowd booed and shouted “get out”.
The unrest followed fears properties were being used to house asylum seekers (Image: Eastern Daily Press/SWNS)
A man on another road was allegedly forced out of his home before having his phone stolen while a door and window were smashed at a third property, the Eastern Daily Press reports.
The same publication reports that the unrest was sparked after a group of men were seen being moved into a house on Tuesday afternoon, and the crowd included up to 100 people.
Rumours spread on social media that asylum seekers were being housed in the area led to a crowd gathering at the estate by 7pm on the same day.
Norfolk Police said officers were called to St John’s Way, Thetford, at 8.12pm on Tuesday after reports that 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 force added: “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.”
Local MP Terry Jermy said it would have been utterly terrifying for the people inside the houses (Image: Eastern Daily Press/SWNS)
Officers attended a second address in Bracken Road where some of the group believed to be present at the previous incidents smashed the windows of a property.
Police said a third incident happened in 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 on suspicion of a public order offence, according to the police. He has since been released and issued with a conditional caution.
Norfolk Police said significant resources were deployed to the town on Wednesday night to maintain public safety after a large group of people gathered in Clover Way.
The force said officers responded to reports at about 9.30pm that people were trying to get into a property and as police moved in some became physically aggressive.
Two officers were taken to hospital after a policeman was struck with a rock and a policewoman was seriously bitten, breaking the skin. A third officer was also spat at, according to police.
It came after a large crowd gathered outside the local police station for an anti-immigration protest, which police said was “largely peaceful”.
Two arrests were made on Wednesday night for offences including public order, harassment and possession of an offensive weapon.
One man aged in his 40s, remains in custody. The second man, aged in his 60s has since been charged.
Brian Thompson, 68, of Fairfields, Thetford, has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon – a wooden bat. He has been released on bail and is due to appear at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on August 25.
Terry Jermy, MP for South West Norfolk, said the “ugly scenes” were “difficult to watch and are deeply concerning”.
In a statement, the Labour politician added: “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.
“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.
“Whatever our own individual views on immigration – mob rule and vigilantism is not acceptable.”
In June, Mr Jermy 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.
Mr Jermy, whose South West Norfolk constituency abuts RAF Barnham, said he had “made clear my strong objections to the use of MOD Barnham to accommodate asylum seekers”.
In his statement on the disorder, he added: “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.”
Blow for Burnham – prison union chief reveals plan to stop PC Harper killers early release
Ministers have been urged to free thousands of people held on remand to create prison space.
A plan to create additional prison capacity by releasing people held on remand has been put forward as ministers face pressure over the planned early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.
Mark Fairhurst, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, said thousands of people awaiting trial could potentially be bailed or fitted with electronic tags, freeing up cells for prisoners who would otherwise qualify for early release.
Mr Fairhurst said he believed there were around 17,000 people currently on remand.
Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “I’m sure we could get a couple of thousand of them bailed or tagged with the GPS tag to monitor them electronically.
“That’s an easy win for this government and I can’t understand why they don’t consider it.
“I’m positive we could free up additional space and block anybody convicted of manslaughter from early release.
“You only have to look at the remand population.”
The suggestion comes as Downing Street maintains that it is “not possible” to exclude “one or two offenders” from Labour’s early release scheme.
That means Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers could still be released within months.
A petition calling for the pair to remain behind bars had reached nearly 900,000 signatures.
There are about 950 prisoners convicted of manslaughter, the offence for which PC Harper’s killers were convicted, although around 500 are thought to be eligible for early release.
Those campaigning for Cole and Bowers to remain imprisoned have argued that the Government should prohibit early release for anyone convicted of manslaughter.
Ministers, however, have said doing so could result in prisons becoming full.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week he had “pushed to the very limits of what is possible to do” by removing around 1,000 rapists, child sex offenders and groomers from eligibility for early release.
Downing Street reinforced that position yesterday, saying it could not prevent PC Harper’s killers from being released early.
Officials had examined one possible route: preventing prisoners convicted of the manslaughter of an emergency worker from being released.
But Mr Burnham’s spokesman said this was “not a standalone offence”.
The proposal is understood to have been described by officials as a “complete non-starter”.
The reason is that the Government would likely lose a legal challenge because there is no specific offence for manslaughter of an emergency worker.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman was asked whether ministers were therefore accepting the situation as it stands.
He said it was “not possible to simply exclude one or two offenders”, adding: “I think you’ve seen from the Prime Minister’s words that he’s far from accepting the situation and as he wrote last week he wants to go even further.
“He’s pushed hard on what more we could do and his focus now is on fixing the prison system long-term to avoid a repeat of this prison crisis so that it never happens again.”
The Government continues to plan the early release of around 5,000 criminals over ten months from October as it attempts to tackle overcrowding.
Cole and Bowers are among those covered by the plans.
PC Harper, who was 28, was investigating the theft of a £10,000 quad bike in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in 2019 when he was killed.
Bowers and Cole, who were then 17, attempted to flee in a car driven by Henry Long, who was 18.
PC Harper’s ankles became caught in the vehicle’s tow rope and he was dragged along at 43mph.
Long is not eligible for early release.
The decision to potentially release Cole and Bowers has also prompted an angry response from Christopher Bushnell, a former Thames Valley Police officer who was first on the scene following PC Harper’s death.
Mr Bushnell, who retired from Thames Valley Police in 2022, recalled the lack of remorse he said the killers showed in the dock during their trial.
He said their planned early release was “absolutely outrageous”.
PC Harper’s mother shares reaction to killers’ early release
Mr Bushnell said: “We can’t change the verdict.
“They got their sentences, which were pretty pitiful, to be fair. When I first heard a couple of weeks ago there was a chance they could be let out early, I was shaking. It brought everything back.
“To think they could be released early is absolutely outrageous. I’m angry with them, but I’m also angry with the Government. They’re spitting in the face of police officers.”
Aileen O’Connor, Chair of Thames Valley Police Federation, launched the petition calling for Cole and Bowers to remain in prison.
More than 880,000 signatures had been collected by yesterday afternoon.
She said: “The public are speaking loudly and clearly. They agree with us that the Government is firmly on the wrong side of this.
“The silence from the Government on this is deafening. What they are doing is indefensible. And they simply cannot defend it. They must listen. The Prime Minister must listen.
“If you kill a police officer there should be no early release. No ifs. No buts.”
She added: “We are seeking all legal avenues…Whatever happens, we will throw everything we can at this to make sure that those responsible for killing Andrew Harper in the execution of his duty remain firmly behind bars.”