An anti-immigration protest was held in Norwich days after seven refugees were accused of being part of a grooming gang and charged with rape and child sexual abuse offences.
The demonstration came after Norfolk Police said on Friday that seven men had been charged as part of an investigation into group-based child sexual exploitation in Norwich.
The refugees, who are Afhgan nationals, are accused of sexual offences committed between August 2023 and May 2025.
The charges relate to two alleged victims, who were aged in their early-to-mid teens at the time of the alleged offences, Norfolk Police said.
On Wednesday, activists displayed a banner that said ‘stop importing, start deporting’ at the top of the steps to City Hall in Norwich, where Norwich City Council has its chambers.
Speeches were made over loudspeakers to a crowd of around 150 people outside the municipal building, near to the city’s market, with a number of them holding England flags.
Union flags also flew either side of the banner as one of the speakers said “how much longer do we stay silent” and “no more”.
Uniformed police officers watched on as the demonstration, which had been advertised on social media, took place.
There was some heckling from the crowd as a number of people, who apparently objected to the protest, separately went past and shouted out, before being ushered on by officers.
Norfolk Police said none of the charged men has lived at asylum hotels in Norfolk and none of the alleged offences happened in asylum hotels.
The accused men appeared before Norwich Magistrates’ Court on Friday and were remanded into custody until a plea hearing at Norwich Crown Court on June 19.
Police said five of the men had entered the country via small boat, one concealed in a lorry and the seventh attempted to enter the UK clandestinely via Portsmouth ferry port.
Superintendent Craig Miller said: “I know this news will be shocking to our communities.
“This type of case is very upsetting, and I want people living and working in Norwich, as well as the wider communities of Norfolk, to know that we will do everything possible to protect children from abuse and exploitation.”
