A man has been arrested following an incident in which Labour MP Terry Jermy was pursued through the streets of Thetford by a crowd of approximately 30 individuals. The confrontation occurred after a Thetford Town Council meeting on 18th June, where discussions touched upon government proposals to house asylum seekers at the former RAF Barnham site in Suffolk.
Footage of the event shows Mr Jermy, who represents South West Norfolk, being followed for around five minutes, with members of the group demanding answers regarding the plans for RAF Barnham. The site, a storage facility rather than an active airfield, is located just over the county border in the Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket constituency, but its proposed use has generated significant local concern, including in Mr Jermy's constituency.
Norfolk Police confirmed they are investigating three reports of alleged harassment and have arrested a man in his 30s. He was questioned on suspicion of two counts of harassment and a public order offence and has been bailed until 4th September. Demonstrators had gathered outside Thetford's Guildhall before the meeting, with some entering the council chamber in an attempt to raise questions, but were informed that the extraordinary meeting, convened for an end-of-year audit, did not include a public question time.
Mr Jermy, who is also a town councillor, was accompanied by a female staff member and fellow Labour councillor Terry Land as he left the meeting. He described the treatment as "bullying, harassment and intimidation," stating that while he is a highly accessible Member of Parliament, he would not tolerate behaviour that extends beyond political discourse or respond to abuse directed at himself or his staff. He emphasised the importance of combating such behaviour to protect democratic foundations.
The Thetford Town Council has also commented on the incident, expressing respect for peaceful protest but concern over the conduct of several individuals after the meeting. The council has lodged a formal complaint with Norfolk Police, requesting a review of the incident and an assessment of the risks both before and during the gathering.
Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this week, Mr Jermy criticised what he termed the "secrecy and confusion" surrounding the proposals for RAF Barnham. Alex Norris, the Home Office's Border Security and Asylum Minister, acknowledged the significant impact of such proposals on local communities, reiterating that no final decision on any site would be made until all necessary arrangements, assessments, and approvals were in place.