Residents in Thetford are bracing for further turmoil after three nights of violent protests erupted over the housing of asylum seekers in the Norfolk market town, leaving windows smashed, police officers injured, and deep divisions within the community. The unrest, which police have described as "mob rule," has prompted six arrests and raised serious questions about the government's strategy of placing asylum seekers in houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) without prior consultation.
Violence and Disorder Shake Thetford
On Wednesday night, a crowd of up to 200 people gathered on a residential street in the north of the town, chanting "We want them out" and attempting to break into properties believed to be housing asylum seekers. Norfolk Constabulary reported that a male police officer was struck by a brick, and a female colleague was seriously bitten during the chaos. Windows were smashed, fences were destroyed, and a residential property was targeted, leaving a trail of broken glass and eggshells on the footpath.
Jenny Hollis, a former councillor, expressed the community's unease, highlighting the proximity of a local school and nursery to one of the targeted houses. "The main concern is safety, the proximity of children and that people just have not been consulted about this," she said. "Thetford is a small town where people know each other, but if you are putting young men who people know nothing about into an area, sometimes in the dark of night, then it will be a cause of concern."
Community Tensions and Far-Right Exploitation
The violence has also stoked fears of racism poisoning local relations, fueled by disinformation and the involvement of far-right activists. A woman originally from eastern Europe, who lives near the unrest, said: "I have lived here for more than a decade and have come to call it home. The people are lovely, but last week was the first time that my partner was shouted at by someone who derided him as a 'migrant'."
Social media accounts operated by prominent far-right figures, including Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, have disseminated footage from the protests. In one clip, a man directs crowds to an address, referring to "invaders," a term used by Robinson and others. The role of outside agitators has been a point of contention, with local MP Terry Jermy noting that many protesters had traveled to Thetford specifically to cause trouble.
MP and Officials Criticize Home Office
Terry Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk, has been vocal in his criticism of the Home Office's handling of the situation. "The lack of engagement both with the community and elected officials has been a huge concern, along with the apparent lack of a strategy, in terms of a cohesive plan, but also to close down rumours and the spread of misinformation," he said. "What we have seen over the last few days is outright criminality, mob rule and vigilante-style antics which go way beyond the rule of law."
Jermy also gave voice to residents' unease that cheaper, working-class areas have been chosen for housing asylum seekers in HMOs. Asylum seekers were removed from properties on Thursday for their safety, according to police, and several homes believed to have been used for that purpose were vacant when visited.
Impact on Residents and Property Prices
Local residents have expressed concerns about the long-term impact on their community. One man, who lives next to two HMOs housing asylum seekers, said: "I have HMOs with asylum seekers in them on both sides of my house. They had tended to keep to themselves, but I have concerns about tensions in the area and what it will do to property prices."
The disorder in Thetford marks a significant escalation, as it is the first time HMOs in England have become the target of concerted and organized anger, threatening to ignite broader anti-immigration tensions similar to those seen last year around a hotel in Epping, Essex.
Government and Serco Defend Strategy
A spokesperson for Serco, the company contracted by the Home Office to manage asylum seeker accommodation, defended its role, stating it works under the direction of the Home Office, which determines the number of people to be housed in local authority areas based on national demand.
The Home Office has insisted that the use of "large sites" is a key part of its strategy, noting that the population of asylum seekers in hotels fell by 35% in the past year and by 63% from the peak of 56,000 in 2023. However, critics argue that this has simply shifted the burden to HMOs in towns like Thetford.
Calls for Calm and Accountability
Anna Turley, the minister for border security and asylum, condemned the violence on GB News, saying: "What we've seen is spilling over into violence, which is just not acceptable. Nobody should feel harassed, intimidated or threatened in their home, and certainly we shouldn't see our emergency workers and our police attacked in the way that we have seen."
Meanwhile, Reform UK councillor Scott Hussey, who was at the scene on Friday, claimed residents were frustrated at seeing their town turned into "a dumping ground for illegal immigrants." He said his understanding from meeting with the Home Office was that more HMOs were going to be sited in Thetford, adding to tensions over proposals to use a nearby RAF base to house asylum seekers.
As Thetford attempts to recover from the unrest, residents and officials alike are calling for greater transparency and community engagement to prevent further violence and heal the deep divisions that have emerged.
