How asylum protests brought disorder to Thetford
Protests over alleged asylum seeker housing erupted in Thetford, with hundreds gathering at multiple residential properties over three nights. Police responded, sustaining injuries, making arrests, and using powers under the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act to disperse crowds. The unrest has heightened local tensions, especially amid plans to house asylum seekers at the nearby former RAF Barnham base.
- ▪Hundreds of people converged on Clover Way and four other locations in Thetford, targeting homes they believed were housing asylum seekers.
- ▪Two police officers were taken to hospital, one after being bitten, and several arrests were made for public order offences and possession of an offensive weapon.
- ▪Police used Section 35 of the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to disperse protesters and deployed riot vans.
- ▪Residents reported property damage including smashed windows and eggs thrown at houses, leading to feelings of insecurity in the community.
- ▪The controversy is linked to proposed plans to use the former RAF Barnham air base in Suffolk for asylum seeker accommodation, which locals say lacked consultation.
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| Publication time | Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:11:34 GMT |
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How asylum protests brought disorder to another townImage source, Scott HusseyImage caption, Witnesses described how hundreds descended on Clover Way in Thetford where a property was said to be housing asylum seekersByMatt Precey and Zoie O'Brien, in ThetfordPublished8 August 2026, 06:38 BSTUpdated 1 minute agoIt is normally a quiet residential street but on Wednesday night, Clover Way erupted.Residents later described their shock at seeing hundreds of people converging on an address where they believed asylum seekers were being housed.It was one of five locations across the Norfolk town of Thetford that saw sporadic violence and disorder over three consecutive evenings, beginning on Tuesday.Two police officers were taken to hospital, including one who had been bitten, and there were…
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