A two-mile march is planned today from Thetford's market square to RAF Barnham in Suffolk, a site designated to house asylum seekers. This event marks the latest in a series of protests that have taken place throughout the summer against the housing of asylum seekers in the area.
Banners in the market square convey the sentiment of the gathering, with one large banner stating: “Thetford and Barnham says no to asylum seekers.” Protesters, some from Thetford and others from wider Norfolk or Suffolk, have cited concerns over the number of people to be housed at the site, which has a reported capacity of 1,250, compared to the nearest village's population of 600.
RAF Barnham is one of three large military sites, alongside MOD Bicester in Oxfordshire and RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, being prepared with a reported capacity of 1,250 asylum seekers each. This follows a policy shift by the Labour government in October last year to use military bases for housing asylum seekers, aiming to close asylum hotels and save taxpayer money.