英国诺福克郡Thetford镇因一处收容庇护申请者的多户住房(HMO)引发了连续三晚的骚乱事件。[1]抗议者聚集在该住房外试图破门闯入，期间与警方发生暴力冲突。[1]周三晚间，聚集的抗议者人数达到约200人，高呼"我们要他们离开"的口号。[1]骚乱中，一名男性警官被砖块击中，一名女性警官遭到严重咬伤。[1]截至周五，警方已因与镇内不同地点骚乱相关的事件逮捕6人。[1]
面对安全隐患，当地政府已采取措施。本周四，庇护申请者因安全原因被从该住房移出。[1]英国改革党成员Scott Hussey表示，政府计划在Thetford增设更多HMO。[1]此外，一项更大规模的计划显示，政府拟在RAF Barnham前基地安置3,750名移民，该计划于6月披露。[1]
极右翼活动人士通过社交媒体散布抗议视频，进一步加剧了紧张局势。[1]对此，边境安全与庇护部长Anna Turley称Thetford骚乱"令人震惊"，表示暴力行为不能接受。[1]与此同时，Home Office公布的数据显示，过去一年酒店庇护申请者人数下降35%，较2023年峰值的56,000人下降63%。[1]
Thetford, a town in Norfolk, England, has been gripped by three consecutive nights of rioting sparked by plans to house asylum seekers in a multi-unit residential property known as a house in multiple occupation (HMO).[1] During the disturbances, a male police officer was struck by a brick and a female officer sustained severe bite injuries.[1] Protesters, numbering up to 200 on Wednesday evening, gathered at the site chanting "we want them out."[1] By Friday, police had made six arrests in connection with the unrest at various locations across the town.[1]
Tensions in the community have been further inflamed by far-right activists who have circulated protest footage on social media, intensifying the volatile atmosphere.[1] On Thursday, asylum seekers were removed from the housing due to safety concerns.[1] Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley condemned the rioting as "shocking," stating that violence would not be tolerated.[1] Reform UK member Scott Hussey indicated that the government plans to establish additional HMOs for asylum seekers in Thetford, while a separate proposal disclosed in June involves placing 3,750 migrants at the former RAF Barnham base.[1] Local residents have expressed concerns about safety, community integration, and inadequate communication from the government.
The Home Office reported that hotel-based asylum accommodation has declined by 35 percent over the past year, down 63 percent from the peak of 56,000 people in 2023.[1]