Asylum seekers were forced to flee their homes as anti-immigration disorder continued into a third night in Thetford.
Norfolk’s police chief Paul Sanford said some protesters were “targeting addresses” they believed were housing asylum seekers and that had officers not intervened, it was “highly likely” they would have broken into the properties.
It comes after three consecutive nights of violence in the market town, which has seen windows smashed and fences broken as crowds of people attempted to break into properties believed to be linked to asylum seekers.
Two people were arrested on Thursday night, bringing the total number of arrests across the three nights to five.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, chief constable Sanford said his officers had been required to move residents of the properties away “for their safety”.
“We did have people protesting in the Thetford area who were targeting addresses they believed were housing asylum seekers and on a couple of occasions that required us to escort the residents of those properties away for their safety,” he said.
Asked what he thought would have happened if officers did not intervene, he said: “I think it’s highly likely protesters would have got into the property and that would have been a significant problem and really threatened the safety of the occupants, and indeed the protesters themselves.”
He warned protesters who attack officers will face the “full force of the law” after officers were “subjected to significant aggression” on Wednesday, with one hit with a rock, one bitten and another spat at.
Two officers were taken to hospital after responding to the scene at Clover Way that evening, which police described as “fast-moving and volatile”.
“We have people who are exercising their right to protest and of course we will support that. There are people who live in Thetford who are understandably concerned about things happening in their town. However, across three consecutive nights a group of people have crossed the line as to what is acceptable and we have been appropriately policing those behaviours.”
He added the force had been “firm” with those who have broken the law.
“I’ve had two police officers hospitalised as a result of the incidents in Wednesday night. The people who perpetrated those offences should expect the full force of the law and I will be pushing for the strongest possible sanction.
“My police officers being assaulted is unacceptable. What they are trying to do is protect the community that many of them live in, that many of them serve. I think when police officers are assaulted then the consequences for offenders should be significant and should be robust.”
