Two Police Officers Injured in Second Night of Anti-Immigration Disorder in Thetford

Two police officers were injured as anti-immigration disorder continued for a second night in Thetford, a market town in Norfolk, eastern England. The unrest involved a group of individuals who became aggressive near Clover Way in the town, with police deployed in significant numbers in an attempt to contain the situation.

Officers Injured

A male police officer was struck in the head with a rock, sustaining an injury that required medical attention. A female officer was bitten during the disorder. Both were treated and remained on duty. Norfolk Constabulary confirmed three people had been arrested in connection with the disorder and that a number of properties in the vicinity had sustained damage during the disturbances.

Context of the Disorder

The disorder appeared to be directed at an asylum seeker housing facility in the Thetford area, following a pattern seen in numerous other English towns and cities in recent months. Officers were reportedly targeted as they formed a protective line between the group and the accommodation site.

This was the second consecutive night of trouble after disorder also broke out in the same area the previous evening. Community leaders in Thetford appealed for calm and condemned the violence.

Police Response and Warnings

Norfolk police said additional resources had been deployed and that they were treating the incidents as serious criminal offences. The chief constable issued a statement saying that those responsible would be identified through footage and arrested. Investigations into the previous night's disorder were already ongoing, with suspects being identified through CCTV and body-worn camera footage.

Thetford has a significant Eastern European community, particularly from Portugal and Lithuania, and tensions in recent weeks had been building around immigration issues and local housing pressures.

Update: Third Night of Disorder

Two men in their 40s were arrested on Thursday night, bringing the total number held to five. Asylum seekers were removed from properties in Thetford for their own safety. Norfolk's chief constable Paul Sanford confirmed the move, urging protesters to think about the human beings they were targeting. A police officer was seriously bitten, breaking the skin, while another was struck with a rock. Policing powers were stepped up, requiring people to remove face coverings and allowing officers to ask anyone suspected of anti-social behaviour to leave the area.