A summary of today's developments
Police have made 378 arrests so far since disorder broke out last week and the total is expected to rise each day, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.
Keir Starmer said a “standing army” of specialist police officers would be set up to deal with rioting and unrest. The PM said: “We will have a standing army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them,” the prime minister said, adding that “we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.”
Judges condemned the recent violent scenes as the latest wave of suspects arrested after protests and riots across the country appeared in court. Several suspects have faced charges in court on Monday, after a sixth day of disorder which broke out in the wake of a knife attack in Southport last week which left three girls dead. One judge described scenes of violence in Belfast as “absolutely disgraceful” as he refused bail to two men accused of taking part in disorder which followed an anti-immigration protest in the city on Saturday. In another court, a boy aged 14 admitted violent disorder after he was seen by police officers to be among a group of young people setting fireworks off in the direction of members of the public and a police carrier. Deputy district judge Liam McStay told Belfast magistrates court: “The events at the weekend were absolutely disgraceful: a concerted and deliberate attempt to undermine public order and to then domineer the community and there were racist elements to it.”
Superintendent Russ Dawe, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said “several” officers have been injured following disorder in Plymouth city centre. Some 150 officers were deployed to de-escalate the situation. Six people were arrested. A police van was also damaged.
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said one child remained in hospital a week on from the Southport attack and all other patients had been discharged. Three girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King died, after the attack last Monday at a dance class. Eight other children and two adults were also injured.
Ministers are preparing an additional 500 prison places to cope with an influx of people expected to be held on remand over the next month, the Ministry of Justice said.
Downing Street criticised comments by Elon Musk who posted on X that “civil war is inevitable” under a video of violent riots in Liverpool. Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said the violence came from a small minority of people who “do not speak for Britain” and said the prime minister did not share the sentiments of the billionaire, who has previously been criticised for allowing far-right figures back on to his social media platform.
The worst of the far-right violence seen in England this weekend should be treated as terrorism, former police chief Neil Basu said, amid warnings over a new wave of unrest targeting migration lawyers.
Updated
The safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said perpetrators of violence in Birmingham “will face the consequences no matter who they are”.
The Home Office minister, who is the MP for Birmingham Yardley, wrote on X: “The police have attended all sites of violence tonight and all those perpetrating it will face the consequences no matter who they are.
“Thanks to all residents who have acted with grace and kindness and have kept people informed so actions could be taken.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they are dealing with ongoing disorder in the Donegall Road area, and urged people to avoid the Donegall Road and Sandy Row areas.
Video footage filmed by asylum seekers inside a Rotherham Holiday Inn Express shows far-right rioters making threatening gestures as they surround the premises.
Superintendent Russ Dawe, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said “several” officers have been injured following the disorder in Plymouth city centre.
Devon and Cornwall Police said 150 officers are deployed in Plymouth city centre and “work is ongoing to de-escalate the situation” after officers were injured during clashes.
In a post on social media, the force said: “We currently have 150 officers deployed in Plymouth City Centre.
“Violence will not be tolerated, hate will not be tolerated.
“Work is ongoing to de-escalate the situation.”
Three police officers injured after “sustained violence” in Plymouth
A Devon and Cornwall police officer said “sustained violence” had erupted following protests in Plymouth and that three officers had been injured during clashes in the city.
Speaking at the scene, bronze commander Inspector Ryan North Moore told Sky News: “This is not a protest anymore. In my opinion, this is violence. This is sustained violence.
“Unfortunately, large masonry was thrown at us, whether it was aimed at us or others or opposing groups – we don’t know yet. The investigation will identify that.
“But, yes, three officers down.”
Asked how difficult it was to police the protest, Inspector Moore added: “It’s off the scale today.
“With the resources we’ve got, it’s difficult.”
The acting police commissioner for Devon and Cornwall Police, Jim Colwell, has praised the operation.
“Very brave, robust policing in Plymouth this evening,” he wrote on X.
“D&C officers, supported by colleagues from across the region, responding to abhorrent, mindless criminal behaviour.”
Very brave, robust policing in Plymouth this evening. D&C officers, supported by colleagues from across the region, responding to abhorrent, mindless criminal behaviour. https://t.co/lhKdif56ls
— A/CC Jim Colwell (@DCCJimColwell) August 5, 2024
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At least three police officers have been injured so far in Plymouth.
Bottles, bricks and fireworks have been thrown into the crowd by far-right protesters, Sky News reported.
Police are attempting to push back demonstrators after protesters clashed with officers in riot gear.
Officers detained a man on the floor, PA reported.
Updated
The worst of the far-right violence seen in England this weekend should be treated as terrorism, a prominent former police chief has said, amid warnings over a new wave of unrest targeting migration lawyers, writes Vikram Dodd, Emine Sinmaz and Neha Gohil.
Police have made 378 arrests since the violence broke out last week, with rioters setting fire to a library, looting shops and storming hotels housing asylum seekers.
A far-right-led mob tried to set fire to the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on Sunday while people were inside. Some masked rioters hurled pieces of wood, bottles and chairs, and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers, 12 of whom were injured.
Neil Basu, Britain’s former head of counter-terrorism, said he believed the attack should be treated as an act of terrorism as he condemned the rioters as “bullies and cowards”.
“Trying to set ablaze a building with people inside, whom you have made clear you detest, is an act of violence against people and property with a racial cause designed to intimidate a section of the public – be it Muslims or asylum seekers,” he said.
“Not only does it fit the definition of terrorism, it is terrorism. It’s nothing short of an attempt at a modern-day lynching and the people who did it should be facing life imprisonment, not a five-year sentence for violent disorder.”
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said protesters who have “thrown projectiles at people” are “not what Plymouth is about”.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said: “There is absolutely no place for violence on our streets. There’s no place for hate on our streets.”
My statement on the protests in Plymouth city centre this evening. pic.twitter.com/MCj5SiOt8O
— Luke Pollard MP (@LukePollard) August 5, 2024
Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, warned children who get involved in disorder could face life-long consequences.
“One of the most striking features of the current outbreak of disorder is that many young people are involved. Children as young as 11. This is deeply disturbing,” he said.
“They may face life-long consequences: conviction, and a permanent record of their involvement on the Police National Database. This can limit their employment options in the future and ability to travel to certain countries.
“For adults, these offences can attract lengthy sentences of imprisonment, beyond the two-year maximum detention available for young offenders.
“Sentencing is a matter for the judiciary, but from the evidence that I have seen, sentencing guidelines suggest that immediate imprisonment will be appropriate for the type of violent disorder that has been witnessed.
“If this seems harsh, the reality, from reports I have received from prosecutors, is that there has been a terrible impact on communities: people barricaded in properties, businesses destroyed and police officers facing violence while trying to keep people safe.”
In Birmingham hundreds of people gathered after rumours of a far-right gathering in England’s second city.
So far no so called protest has emerged and sources said people were starting to disperse.
It is a sign of how tense the situation is across various communities.
Police van damaged during violence in Plymouth
Devon & Cornwall police officers have been attacked in Plymouth, the force said on social media.
‘We have seen a level of violence towards officers in Plymouth and a police van has been damaged. We are taking action against individuals who are intent on criminality. Arrests are ongoing’, the force posted on X.
Merseyside police said flight restrictions for drones introduced on Saturday have been extended in Liverpool city centre, according to PA.
The force said a temporary airspace restriction, known as an Emergency Restriction of Flying (ERF), put in place on Saturday will now run until 5pm on August 12.
It will be an offence for any aircraft to fly below 2,000ft above sea level in the designated area, within two nautical miles of the Royal Liver Building, without the explicit permission of Merseyside police.
“Drone and aircraft users flying inside the Restricted Airspace that have not been granted permission will be guilty of committing an offence and could be prosecuted,” the force said.
In Plymouth city centre, some far-right protesters have broken ranks to get closer to the riot police separating them from counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism, Sky News reported.
Updated
Avon and Somerset Police said a 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and is in custody as the investigation continues into disorder in Bristol on Saturday night.
The force has now arrested a total of 17 people for a range of offences, charging two and releasing 13 on police bail with conditions not to enter Bristol city centre.
“Significant planning was carried out last week to minimise the risk to the public ahead of the weekend and we will not hesitate to re-enact those plans should we need to,” the force said.
“We recognise the impact this has had on our communities and we are working closely with our partners and stakeholders, including faith leaders, to keep them updated.
“Neighbourhood officers are carrying out high-visibility reassurance patrols and these will continue over the coming weeks.”
Was it naive to think it would be a peaceful protest, people wondered after the riot at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, where windows were smashed, police attacked and a fire escape briefly set ablaze with 250 people trapped inside.
The demonstration was to be held at noon on Sunday outside the Holiday Inn Express in Wath-upon-Dearne, known locally as Wath, a village north of Rotherham. The hotel is not a stranger to protests. It is contentious locally and had become the scene of anti-immigration outrage in the past – though there were few who anticipated what a terrifying turn Sunday would take.
But the signs that it would be a flashpoint for violence had been there all along. It is an area with deep, decades-long community tensions and a history of clashes over immigration. Over a weekend of escalating violence it flared again.
Among the substantial group of local residents who had come to tidy up on Monday morning, the mood was sombre. There was a huge sense of exasperation with their own community and those who stoked violence from farther afield.
Locals recalled only half an hour of peace before the first missile was thrown. Within two hours more than a dozen hotel windows were broken, rioters had entered the hotel and, in what police described as a “particularly sickening moment”, attempted to set the building on fire. It was, police said, “a concerted effort to cause … serious harm to those inside”.
Scotland’s first minister John Swinney and justice secretary Angela Constance have met members of the country’s Muslim community to express solidarity following the Islamophobic and racist rioting that took place in England and Northern Ireland over the weekend.
Following the meeting at Edinburgh Central Mosque this afternoon, Swinney said that such behaviour “will not be tolerated in Scotland”.
“I have always been proud that Scotland is a diverse, multicultural country. The Scottish Government is unequivocally committed to championing the rights of all of our citizens, including strengthening the already resilient communities where people live in peace. I am grateful to have met with members of our Muslim community and those who represent asylum seekers today, to pledge our support and reiterate the point that Scotland is a welcoming society”.
The pair also met senior Police Scotland officers to discuss preparedness and providing reassurance to communities. Swinney said he had received assurances that Police Scotland are prepared to deal with any similar situation in Scotland should it arise.
Elon Musk has used his X platform to question Keir Starmer’s response to the riots.
The prime minister tweeted a clip of a statement he gave this morning, where he reiterated his warning to rioters that they will face justice and offered his support to Muslim communities targeted by the far right.
“We will not tolerate attacks on mosques or on Muslim communities,” his tweet read.
Musk responded: “Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on *all* communities?”
Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on *all* communities?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 5, 2024
The health secretary Wes Streeting condemned “far right agitation” which led to the disorder.
After footage on social media showed looters stealing from a cosmetics store in Hull, Streeting said: “Don’t tell me that people are just expressing legitimate grievances while they have got their hands full of stuff from Lush.”
His comments came at an event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he also warned of the “existential threat to democracy” from disinformation on social media.
And the justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said those involved in “far-right thuggery” should expect to “face the full force” of the justice system.
Mahmood said: “The far-right thuggery we have witnessed on our streets is completely unacceptable and contrary to the British notion of rule of law.
“The Prime Minister has been clear from the outset that those involved should expect to face the full force of our justice system.
“My message to anyone who chooses to take part in this violence is simple. The police, courts and prisons stand ready and you will face the consequences of these appalling acts.”
Riot police are standing between two groups of protesters in Plymouth.
One demonstration is organised by Stand Up To Racism, the other by another group who have publicised their protest with slogans such as “keep our children safe” and “stop the boats”.
There are reports of smoke bombs being thrown.
UPDATE | Officers are currently at the scene of the planned demonstrations in #Plymouth.
— Devon & Cornwall Police (@DC_Police) August 5, 2024
Our officers are well trained to maintain public order and we have suitable resources and plans to deal with any outbreaks of disorder.
Our approach to this operation was to enable peaceful…
Lancashire Constabulary said it has launched an investigation after a report of criminal damage in Burnley Cemetery after paint was poured across headstones in a Muslim burial area.
“The investigation into this matter is very much ongoing.
“We are taking this matter incredibly seriously and this is being treated as a hate crime,” the force said.
The leader of Burnley Council, Afrasiab Anwar, said: “What type of evil individual(s) would undertake such outrageous actions, in a sacrosanct place of reflection, where loved ones are buried, solely intended to provoke racial tensions?
“We are working with the police to identify the perpetrator(s) and to ensure they are reprimanded at the earliest opportunity. There is CCTV footage at the cemetery which the police are working through, and we are working with the police to ensure a heightened police presence in the area.
“The council have made arrangements for the graves to be cleaned by a specialist memorial mason as a matter of urgency and the affected families are being contacted.
“There are heinous individuals who are looking to provoke a reaction in our communities. With actions like this, it is extremely difficult to remain calm, but I would urge you not to react to the provocation.”
The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Mark Rowley, has apologised after he knocked a journalist’s microphone out of his hand earlier today after leaving a meeting with the PM.
“This morning I was part of a positive and constructive COBRA meeting with the prime minister about our collective response to hateful behaviour and violent disorder across the country,” Rowley said.
“There’s been a story running all day about my exit from the meeting. This is a distraction from the critical events we are dealing with.
“It was agreed the prime minister would provide an update afterwards and it was not my place to speak publicly.
“In an effort to move a microphone out of my path I’m sorry that I knocked it to the floor. That was never my intention.
“We remain focused on the critical and urgent matters at hand.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said his thoughts remain with all those affected by the “abhorrent attack” in Southport last week.
“The rioting and violence we have seen across the country in the last few days has been utterly shocking. There is simply no place in our society for the violence, racism and Islamophobia we have witnessed – disorder fuelled by a toxic combination of far-right agitators and online disinformation.
“The targeting of Muslims and ethnic minorities has left many communities fearing for their safety and the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have made it crystal clear that anyone involved in violent disorder or unrest will face the full force of the law.
“In London, we are united against hatred and I am working closely with partners to ensure all of our communities are safe – and feel safe.
“Today the Met Police and London Resilience Unit have brought together partners from across the capital, from emergency services and local authorities to voluntary, community and faith representatives to ensure we are working together to achieve that aim at a time of heightened tension.
“I’ll continue to work with the new Government to bring communities together and ensure there is zero tolerance for hatred and racism, as we work together to build a better and safer city and country for everyone.”
An imam has said he would welcome the far-right activist Tommy Robinson to his local mosque for food and conversation as part of efforts to address concerns and fears held by the far right.
It comes as Muslim organisations welcomed the government’s announcement of extra security for mosques, as a national monitoring group reported a fivefold increase in threats to Islamic communities.
Mosques have been among buildings targeted in riots in the past week, as serious disorder broke out in several locations across the country.
Sabah Ahmedi, 30, known as “the young imam” on social media, extended an invitation to members of the far right to speak with him to ask questions they have about the religion of Islam.
He posted on X: “I would love to sit with the far right, have food with them, show them around my mosque and address the questions and issues they have with Islam because what they are doing right now is based on misconceptions and misinformation.”
Speaking to the PA news agency about the invitation to the Baitul Futuh mosque in south London, he said he tries to use his social media platform to “help educate people about Islam, help educate people about the true teachings of what my faith teaches on life as a Muslim”.
Asked if he expected someone like Tommy Robinson, a founder and former leader of the English Defence League and someone who has been accused of stirring trouble from abroad, to take him up on the offer, he said: “I don’t see why not.”
Families have gathered at a vigil in Southport a week on from the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar.
Children blew bubbles as others placed flowers and heart-shaped balloons in front of The Atkinson arts centre in remembrance of the victims of the stabbing attack.
Staffordshire Police said a dedicated team of detectives has been tasked with reviewing all of the available evidence relating to disorder in Stoke-on-Trent and Sunday’s attack on a hotel in Tamworth.
The force, which has already charged two suspects with offences, has also set up a major incident public portal (MIPP) for people to share information with police.
It said in a statement: “Using our own surveillance, as well as a vast array of videos that have been shared on social media, we’re continuing to trawl rigorously through the evidence to take robust action against those involved.
“Our officers have been acting valiantly to protect the public. Six of them have been assaulted, which is completely unacceptable. Thankfully, none of their injuries are serious.”
Assistant chief constable Stuart Ellison said: “Police forces across the country all have the same message for the individuals involved in these incidents: you are being pursued and we are working around the clock to find you.
“Setting up the portal is going to give us a streamlined way of gathering all of the evidence required to track down those responsible and speak to the public who will no doubt have vital information that can help us.
“If you were in Stoke-on-Trent or Tamworth this weekend, tell us what you know. Do you have any footage of people in the area or information that can identify them?
“I’d like to assure local communities in Staffordshire that our efforts to find those involved are substantial. Our inquiries are progressing and we’re ready to deploy proactively to keep our communities safe.”
Anyone who posted on social media assisting or encouraging the disorder on Britain’s streets in recent days could be prosecuted over the violence, even if they were were not at the scene, a legal expert has warned.
Mark Jones, partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach, said individuals “do not need to be present when the crime itself is carried out, yet can be as guilty as the person who commits the crime itself”.
The warning comes as Keir Starmer said anyone whipping up violence online will face “the full force of the law”.
After chairing an emergency meeting of the Cobra committee on Monday morning, the Prime Minister said “the criminal law applies online as well as offline”.
Jones added: “People who assist or encourage another, or others, to commit a crime are known as accessories or secondary parties.
“They do not need to be present when the crime itself is carried out, yet can be as guilty as the person who commits the crime itself.
“In other words, you have a principal who carries out the offence and the secondary party who assists or encourages the commission of the offence by the principal.
“Secondary liability principles can be applied to most criminal offences, with offences of violence and public order being common examples.
“Social media provides a platform for people to misbehave and to commit acts which are criminal. It is necessary to look beyond the use of social media as the medium and to the offence being committed.”
Riots have spread across numerous cities and towns in England, and in Belfast in Northern Ireland, over the last week in the worst outbreak of civil disorder in Britain for 13 years. More than 400 people have been arrested since anti-immigrant and far-right unrest erupted after the killing of three young girls in Southport in north-west England last Monday.
What has sparked the violence?
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were killed in a multiple stabbing at a Taylor Swift-inspired dance class in Southport on 29 July. Eight other children sustained knife wounds with five left in a critical condition. Two adults were also critically hurt.
Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in Cardiff and had been living in Banks, a village in Lancashire a few miles north of Southport, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Before the suspect’s identity was confirmed, false claims proliferated online that he was a Muslim asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat. In the wake of these messages, members of the far right – guided by social media – have gathered in towns and cities across the country with some shouting anti-immigration and Islamophobic slogans. Counter-protests have also built up with clashes between opposing groups.
Where are the riots taking place?
Hundreds of rioters descended on the seaside town of Southport last Tuesday, where people were still grieving, barely 36 hours after the three girls were killed. More than 50 police officers were injured in the clashes, which targeted a mosque a short walk from the scene of the atrocity.
The next day, disturbances spread to London, Manchester in north-west England, Hartlepool in the north-east, and Aldershot in the south. The disorder continued over the weekend with clashes on Saturday across England in Liverpool, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Leeds, Nottingham and Bristol, and also in Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Police officers will have their rest days cancelled as they face violence some have never seen before amid the riots – and they will become “fatigued” at some point, the Police Federation said.
Broken bones and concussion are among the injuries police officers have suffered over six days of disorder which has seen hundreds of arrests in the wake of a knife attack in Southport last week which left three girls dead, the federation said.
Tiffany Lynch, acting national chairwoman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, told Times Radio: “What we’re actually seeing and our officers out there that are working incredibly hard for extended periods of duty, is unprecedented, and the violence that they’re actually facing, some have never faced before in their careers.
“We know of recorded injuries where we’ve had broken bones, concussion and such like, but we’re also seeing that these officers are working extended long hours and with the level of violence that they’re facing, they will be becoming fatigued at some point.”
She added the officers “will be having their rest days cancelled”, and will be “pulled off shifts or specialised departments to actually prioritise what is a national priority”.
The riots have made many of the NHS’s multi-cultural workforce feel “afraid and unwelcome” as a result of the riots, the boss of the health service in England said.
Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, spoke out in the wake of several reported incidents of NHS staff being targetted by protestors as a result of their ethnic background.
Meanwhile, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called on ministers to ensure that anyone who targets NHS nurses “pays a very heavy price”.
Pritchard used her weekly email to NHS leaders to praise staff’s response both to last week’s stabbings in Southport and also the violent events since in parts of England and Belfast.
“We shouldn’t let [their] dedication to duty disguise the fact that for many NHS workers, seeing this flare-up of racism will leave them feeling afraid and unwelcome”, Pritchard wrote.
Hospital bosses have told Pritchard that many of their staff have been left feeling anxious about the protests and continuing violence in places such as Rotherham, Sunderland and Tamworth. Many feel scared when leaving their home to come work, Pritchard has also heard.
The British Islamic Medical Association said that many of its members have been threatened in recent days.
In a statement on its website it said that: “Over the past few days BIMA has heard from many of our members who have felt scared and been threatened. A Muslim nurse was caught up in the violence when leaving the hospital, having to navigate Islamophobic slurs.
“Another spoke of her fear at work: ‘As a visibly Muslim woman I feel un safe. Seeing racists and Islamophobes emboldened like this is scary.
‘I now worry about my safety every day that I am on the frontline. It could be a patient or, worse, a colleague.”
Downing Street has criticised comments by Elon Musk who posted on X that “civil war is inevitable” under a video of violent riots in Liverpool.
Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said the violence came from a small minority of people who “do not speak for Britain” and said the prime minister did not share the sentiments of the billionaire, who has previously been criticised for allowing far-right figures back on to his social media platform.
“There’s no justification for comments like that,” the spokesperson said. “What we’ve seen in this country is organised, violent thuggery that has no place, either on our streets or online.
“We’re talking about a minority of thugs that do not speak for Britain, and in response to it, we’ve seen some of the best of our communities coming out and cleaning up the mess [and] the disruption of those that don’t speak for our country, and we’ve seen the response for people that do speak for our country. I think you can tell from that that the prime minister does not share those sentiments.”
Starmer warned after a Cobra meeting with senior cabinet ministers, police chiefs and Ministry of Justice officials that the police would pursue those organising online incitement.
Judge describes scenes of violence in Belfast as 'absolutely disgraceful'
Judges have condemned the recent violent scenes as the latest wave of suspects arrested after protests and riots across the country appeared in court.
Several suspects have faced charges in court on Monday, after a sixth day of disorder which broke out in the wake of a knife attack in Southport last week which left three girls dead.
One judge described scenes of violence in Belfast as “absolutely disgraceful” as he refused bail to two men accused of taking part in disorder which followed an anti-immigration protest in the city on Saturday.
The Northern Ireland assembly is set to be recalled on Thursday at 12 noon to discuss a motion condemning criminal damage and targeting of businesses in recent days.
In another court, a boy aged 14 admitted violent disorder after he was seen by police officers to be among a group of young people setting fireworks off in the direction of members of the public and a police carrier.
Deputy district judge Liam McStay told Belfast magistrates court: “The events at the weekend were absolutely disgraceful: a concerted and deliberate attempt to undermine public order and to then domineer the community and there were racist elements to it.”
He added: “This court cannot allow the type of behaviour that occurred on Saturday to be repeated and be visited on other people, and the message has to be if you allow yourself to become involved in these matters for whatever reason, then you will face the consequences.”
The district judge refused bail to Simeon Eric McCullough, 46, of Schomberg Drive in Belfast, who was charged with disorderly behaviour and resisting police.
Bail was also refused to Gary Creighton, 38, from Inishowen Drive in Belfast, who was charged with possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of fireworks without a licence, and riotous behaviour. He also faced a charge of disorderly behaviour.
And bail was refused to Bernard Lavery, 34, from Farnham Street in Belfast, who was charged with taking part in an unnotified public procession.
Updated
One child remains in hospital after Southport attack
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said one child remained in hospital a week on from the Southport attack and all other patients had been discharged.
Three girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King died, after the attack last Monday at a dance class.
Eight other children and two adults were also injured.
A 17-year-old charged with murdering the three girls and 10 counts of attempted murder, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, was remanded into youth detention accommodation.
Updated
Commenting on the street violence affecting communities across England, Green MP Siân Berry said:
“What we are witnessing on our streets is fascist violence fueled by racism and Islamophobia. Only by naming it and understanding clearly what it is can we work to defeat it.
“The rise of the far right and fascism has been fueled by toxic and divisive rhetoric from some in the previous government.
“We must demand better from our new government, and I hope that ministers will now step up and deliver.
“It is also important to ask what the police and security services have been doing to monitor the far right over the past decade. We have to question if a focus on monitoring Muslim citizens and climate protesters has allowed the far more sinister menace of fascism to ferment.
“We need to bring those responsible for instigating the violence to justice, but this won’t be enough to defeat an ideology which uses organised political violence to undermine our society, divide communities and compromise the state and its institutions, including the judiciary and the police.”
Around 20 volunteers including local councillors helped council staff and contractors to paint over racist graffiti and clear up debris, including broken glass, bricks and paving slabs which had been used as missiles during the attack on Tamworth’s Holiday Inn Express.
Among those who made their way to the hotel to help out was councillor Margaret Clarke, 80, who said those responsible for the damage had exhibited “stone age thinking”.
The member of Tamworth Soroptimists: “I have lived in Tamworth for over 50 years and the first thing you do when there’s trouble is you help – that’s the way I look at things.
“Debasing our town is not something that we allow – it’s not Tamworth. Most of them (the rioters) were not Tamworthians and we don’t want our people to be harassed like that again.”
Her colleague Pat Pallett, 77, said of the amount of local people taking part in the clean-up: “That is Tamworth for you. We band together when there’s any trouble. It’s a lovely town to live in and we don’t want this happening again, ever.”
Police have made 378 arrests so far since disorder broke out
Police have made 378 arrests so far since disorder broke out last week and the total is expected to rise each day, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.
NPCC chairman Gavin Stephens said: “Every community across the country will have been affected in some way by the violent disorder we have seen in this past week.
“I want to reassure the public that a united and robust policing response is in place across the country and we are doing all we can to tackle this disorder and keep you safe.
“All forces have been requested not only to increase the number of specialist resources in their local area, but to contribute to regional reserves, coordinated nationally.
“So far 378 arrests have been made and we expect that total to rise each day as forces continue to identify those involved and continue to apprehend those responsible. Work is going on around the clock to do this and those involved will be brought to justice.
“We have been clear that this is not protest activity or people exercising their democratic right. It is unnecessary violence and we’ve seen important community hubs like a Citizen’s Advice Bureau and a library completely destroyed.”
The Conservative leadership candidate Priti Patel has criticised Nigel Farage’s response to the far-right riots, saying it was wrong to compare the violence to Black Lives Matter protests.
The former home secretary has also written to the prime minister and home secretary, urging them to recall parliament, drawing parallels with the 2011 riots when MPs returned for a government statement on civil disorder and to condemn the violence.
Farage condemned the violence against police officers in a statement posted on X on Monday morning but the Reform UK leader said “deeper long-term problems remain”. He also called for the recall of parliament and said the government should consider deploying the army.
He added: “Ever since the soft policing of the Black Lives Matter protests, the impression of two-tier policing has become widespread. The prime minister’s faltering attempts to address the current crisis have only added to that sense of injustice.”
Patel said Farage’s comments were deeply misleading and “simply not relevant right now”. She told Times Radio: “There’s a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worship. What we have seen is thuggery, violence, racism.”
The director general of Sweden’s psychological defence agency, the country’s body tasked with combating foreign disinformation, said he has been shocked by the scale of the riots in the UK, saying they demonstrate the dangers of disinformation.
It comes a year after Sweden faced an international crisis over Qur’an burnings, during which authorities accused Russia of trying to influence how the incidents were viewed internationally, threatening to derail its Nato bid, after misinformation spread around the world.
Magnus Hjort told the Guardian: “I have been surprised to see the extent to these riots. The multitude of cities and towns which have exploded in violence and looting and attacks on mosques and attacks on hotels.” He added: “What we can see is the danger of disinformation and how it can set fire to underlying discontent that is within society.”
Hjort said several factors contributed to unrest around the Qur’an burning incidents in Sweden cooling down - both through information campaigns by the government and, following the outbreak of war in Gaza, many actors instead started focusing their attention there.
“Of course we see some of it [disinformation about last year’s Qur’an burnings] now, but it doesn’t get any traction today,” he said. “So both internal and external factors have made a change in the situation.”
While he said it was up to British authorities to ascertain whether foreign entities were involved, in his experience in Sweden, Russia is “always interested in amplifying disinformation”.
Each country must do what works for them, he said, but in Sweden the cold war-era agency, which was re-established two years ago amid heightening tensions with Russia, has helped take on disinformation. “First, we’re not a police agency and we’re not an intelligence agency and that works in favour of us being able to work more openly,” he said. “That works in Sweden.”
The Law Society of England and Wales said it has “serious concerns” about the safety of its members after names and addresses of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies were shared in a list of locations to be targeted by demonstrators.
The organisation’s president, Nick Emmerson, said: “We deplore the violent scenes and rioting that we have witnessed across the past week.
“We have serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of our members following names and addresses of a number of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for further protest and violence this week.
“I have written to the prime minister, Lord Chancellor and home secretary today asking that the threats against the legal profession are treated with the utmost seriousness.
“A direct assault on our legal profession is a direct assault on our democratic values and we are supporting our members who are being targeted.”
Police patrols are being stepped up in Teesside over the coming days amid fears the area could be hit with more violent disorder.
In a statement, Cleveland Police said: “There will be an increased police presence across our towns and communities in the coming days, providing reassurance to residents and speaking to members of the public about their concerns.
“We are aware of information currently in circulation on social media and other platforms about further activity in the area and we’re monitoring the situation closely.
“Cleveland Police’s focus remains firmly on protecting people, protecting communities, and taking robust action against those who are intent on causing violence and fear across Teesside.”
The Labour MP for Tamworth, Sarah Edwards, said in a statement issued on her social media accounts that the attack on the town’s Holiday Inn Express had put lives at risk.
Urging local people to help police identify those responsible, Edwards said: “It is not protest. It’s not legitimate. It is crime and violent disorder. An assault on the rule of law.
“It was distressing to see petrol bombs and fireworks being thrown towards police and emergency workers and it was horrifying to see such violence towards the most vulnerable in our society.”
Saying such behaviour would not be tolerated, she added: “Those who are intent on stoking disorder and division are not welcome and do not speak for Britain or for Tamworth.
“It is fortunate that no one inside the hotel was injured, but rest assured those involved in the violence will face the full force of the justice system.”
Updated
Keir Starmer must stop Labour from repeating “appalling” anti-immigrant rhetoric which has fuelled riots for the past week, an influential trade union leader has said.
Matt Wrack, the head of the firefighters’ union and president of the TUC, also called for the Labour movement to support Muslims who wish to defend themselves from attacks, and called for mass mobilisation to repel far right thugs.
Speaking to the Guardian, the general secretary of the FBU said the Labour leader and fellow cabinet colleagues attempted to win over Tory voters during the general election campaign by repeating anti-migrant language.
“The background to the riots is years of Islamophobia, some stoked by politicians, including quite mainstream politicians.
“I think the Labour Party should not be trying to outdo the Tories or Reform on anti-refugee rhetoric. Starmer’s comments, for example, about Bangladeshi people were appalling and significant not just from the electoral point of view, but in terms of principle, it was a terrible thing,” he said.
In June, during an event organised by the Sun newspaper, Starmer said the number of people returned to where they came from had fallen by 44% under the Conservative government.
He pledged to “put the staff back in the returns unit” in “the first few days” of a Labour government.
“At the moment people coming from countries like Bangladesh are not being removed, because they’re not being processed,” Starmer said, sparking criticisms from community groups.
Labour claimed he was referring to Labour’s long-established policy of returning those who do not have the legal right to be in the UK to safe countries, and Bangladesh was an example.
Greater Manchester Police said it arrested 19 people while policing protests over the weekend.
Officers made five arrests on Saturday and a further 14 on Sunday relating to several different alleged offences, including criminal damage and violent disorder.
Seven people were charged with possession of a weapon, including two 16-year-olds, while one person was charged with assault.
Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said: “There are consequences for inciting hate and causing damage, and those who have broken the law will be held accountable for their actions.
“Where arrests have been made, charges have been quickly sought and some offenders have already appeared before the courts and we expect to make further arrests.
“We have gathered extensive video evidence, collected testimonies, and our intelligence teams are working vigorously with support from the full force to identify further criminal behaviour and locate those responsible. Justice will be forthwith.
“I am proud of all the efforts of our officers and staff made to bring these events to a largely peaceful conclusion and from preventing illegal acts to bring about harm to those who want to live in harmony.”
Two people have been charged in connection with disorder in Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday, Staffordshire Police have said.
Jarrod Hollinshead, 26, of no fixed address, has been charged with using threatening or abusive words and or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and Lee Bodman, 52, from Stoke-on-Trent, has been charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker and breaching a criminal behaviour order.
They will appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 22 August.
Police say their investigation into the disorder is continuing.
Countries around the world have begun to issue travel alerts to warn their citizens about the dangers of riots in the UK.
On Monday, Nigeria and Australia joined Malaysia in publishing travel advisories about the widespread violent disorder in many towns and cities in England.
In its advisory, Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs said:
There is an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK, stemming from the killing of 3 young girls … The violence has assumed dangerous proportions as evidenced by reported attacks on Law enforcement agents and damage to infrastructure.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria 🇳🇬 (@NigeriaMFA) August 5, 2024
In its warning, Australia’s foreign ministry said:
Avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence. Monitor the media for information and updates. Follow the instructions of local authorities.
On Sunday, Malaysia was believed to have become the first country to issue a safety warning to its citizens in the UK due to anti-immigration riots.
PRESS RELEASE: URGENT - NOTICE TO MALAYSIANS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM pic.twitter.com/DnuI7GczsD
— Wisma Putra (@MalaysiaMFA) August 4, 2024
Updated
Asked if a recall of parliament was needed, Keir Starmer has said his focus was on ensuring police are able to carry out their duties, the PA news agency reported.
“My focus is on ensuring we have got the right people carrying out their duties to ensure that our streets are safe,” he said.
The prime minister added:
My focus is on making sure that we stop this disorder, that the criminal sanctions are swift and be seen to be followed.
Starmer also denied that two-tier policing was being carried out in the UK.
“There is policing without fear or favour - exactly as it should be, exactly what I would expect and require,” he said.
Updated
Starmer says 'standing army' of specialist officers will be set up to deal with riots
Keir Starmer has said a “standing army” of specialist police officers would be set up to deal with rioting and unrest, the PA news agency reported.
“We will have a standing army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them,” the prime minister said, adding that “we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.”
He added:
I have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law.
The prime minister also warned against illegal online activities.
“I have been absolutely clear that the criminal law applies online as well as offline,” he said.
Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest, it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities. So the full force of the law will be visited on all those who are identified as having taken part in these activities.
Updated
No requests have been made for Army assistance to quell riots, Downing Street has said.
Following Monday morning’s emergency Cobra meeting, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The police are very clear that they’ve got the powers and resources they need to protect communities and keep people safe.
“There’s been no requests made for any military assistance, that I’m aware of.”
Keir Starmer paid tribute to police officers tackling disorder on Britain’s streets during Monday morning’s emergency Cobra meeting.
His official spokesman told reporters: “The prime minister convened a meeting of Cobra this morning to update on the response for the disorder we’ve seen. This follows a series of meetings last week and over the weekend.
“Cobra was attended by the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, home secretary, justice secretary, DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) secretary, attorney general, chief secretary and leaders from police, prison service, NCA (National Crime Agency) and other senior officials.
“The PM paid tribute to the hard work of police officers over the past week and sent best wishes to those who have been injured protecting our streets.
“There have been hundreds of arrests and people are already being charged, and police will continue to update on the specifics in relation to progress or arrests and charging.
“The police are continuing to deploy additional resource around the country at strategic locations where necessary.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has condemned the “lawlessness and thuggery” seen on Britain’s streets in recent days, saying a “national conversation” is needed on promoting respect for the country and each other.
The organisation’s president, Phil Rosenberg, said: “Attacks on Muslims, black people, members of other minorities, and our brave police officers, are totally unacceptable, and we stand in solidarity with everyone affected.
“As a society, we have to be better than this. We need a national conversation about how we promote respect for our country and respect for each other, and how about we tackle extremism and build cohesion.
“The Board of Deputies will play its full part in this effort.”
Irish police are investigating the involvement of anti-immigrant activists from Dublin at a protest in Belfast that turned into a riot.
Protestors from the republic carried Irish tricolour flags alongside loyalists who carried British flags at a gathering outside Belfast city hall on Saturday. A mob clashed with police and targeted businesses owned by foreigners, including a supermarket owned by a Syrian and a cafe run by a Sudanese man.
Some of the Irish visitors later spent the night drinking with members of the Ulster Defence Association paramilitary group at a loyalist bar, the Belfast Telegraph reported. The UK-wide anti-immigrant riots have evoked comparisons to a riot in Dublin last November.
Ireland’s taoiseach, Simon Harris, spoke with Northern Ireland’s first minister, Michelle O’Neill, on Sunday. They said police on both sides of the border would cooperate to counter efforts to sow hate, racism and division.
Four men aged 34, 38, 46 and 53 were to appear in Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday on charges linked to the disturbances.
“We have people in our community this morning who have invested their lives in building businesses, in settling into our community and in providing services to our community, who have now seen their entire livelihoods wiped out in one night of sickening violence and that has to stop,” Naomi Long, the justice minister, told the BBC.
“We are already seeing now on social media people making preparations for another round of this this week. This cannot continue, we cannot have this kind of Islamaphobia, xenophobia and hatred on our streets.”
Jeremy Corbyn and four fellow independent MPs have criticised Sir Keir Starmer for not going “nearly far enough in identifying the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim hatred” behind the riots on Britain’s streets.
In a letter to home secretary Yvette Cooper, shared on social media, they wrote: “While we welcome the Prime Minister’s condemnation of the ‘far-right thuggery’ that has scarred our towns and cities this weekend, we feel his words do not go nearly far enough in identifying the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim hatred driving this violence.
“When people are under attack for the colour of their skin and their faith, government references to ‘understandable fears’ send mixed messages and only give succour to those seeking to sow hatred and division.
“At a time when gangs of violent racist thugs are targeting mosques and asylum centres, we are alarmed the government has said they have no plans to meet with the largest body representing Muslims in the UK, the Muslim Council of Britain. We find it inconceivable representatives of any other faith community would be treated in a similar manner.
“Instead of pandering to those who have helped ferment the ugly racism behind these protests, we expect our Government to call out the bigotry and Islamophobia behind them and stand shoulder to shoulder with its victims.
“We reject any narrative that seeks to blame asylum seekers and immigrant communities for the decades of austerity and the subsequent decline in stable and well-paid jobs that has eroded the fabric of once-secure communities.”
The five MPs also called for an urgent meeting with the home secretary to “discuss what actions are planned to stamp out this racist terror”.
Updated
The leader of Tamworth borough council, councillor Carol Dean, and its chief executive Stephen Gabriel have issued a joint statement condemning Sunday’s violent attack on the town’s Holiday Inn Express.
Their statement said: “The outbreak of violence and criminal damage is totally unacceptable.
“We will do everything in our power to support the authorities to ensure the perpetrators are brought to account for their actions.
“Everyone has a right to express their views, that must be done, peacefully and responsibly.
“While we understand and respect the right of citizens to express their concerns and opinions, we cannot and will not support actions that resort to violence, intimidations and disorder.
“These events are not a reflection of our town and its community.”
Updated
Six arrests have been made, and one person has been charged, after violent disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham on Sunday.
Assistant chief constable Lindsey Butterfield, of South Yorkshire police, said: “So far we have had six arrests, one in Sheffield and five in Rotherham, with one person already charged before the court this morning.
“Please be assured, we expect this number to increase significantly in the coming days.”
Updated
At least 12 police officers were injured during disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham on Sunday.
Assistant chief constable Lindsey Butterfield, of South Yorkshire Police, said the injuries followed “a day and night of violence and disorder”, adding: “I can confirm today that we have seen at least 12 of our officers injured with items such as bricks, fenceposts, branches and other missiles thrown at them.
“Our police dogs suffered minor injuries after missiles were launched at them and horses had bricks, eggs, bottles and beer cans thrown at their heads.
“They were spat at and threats made to cut the saddles in an attempt to injure the riders.”
Five more people have been charged in connection with disorder, Merseyside Police said.
Gareth Metcalfe, 44, and John O’Malley, 43, both of Cambridge Gardens in Southport, have been charged with violent disorder after a group was seen showing aggression towards police in the town last Tuesday, PA reported.
A 14-year-old boy from Toxteth, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with violent disorder in Liverpool city centre on Saturday after officers in Clayton Square had fireworks set off in their direction.
Adam Wharton, 28, and Ellis Wharton, 22, of Selwyn Street, Walton, have both been charged with burglary other than a dwelling after a group entered the Spellow Hub library on County Road on Saturday and were challenged by officers trying to steal equipment.
Ellis Wharton was also charged with assault on an emergency worker.
All the defendants will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Labour MP Diane Abbott said “we don’t know” what ministers are doing to tackle rioting on Britain’s streets as she demanded parliament be recalled.
Asked whether the government is doing enough, the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP told the BBC: “We don’t know what they’re doing.
“That’s why we need parliament so they can be questioned on it.
“This is an extraordinarily grave situation. You’ve got people trying to burn down hostels where asylum seekers are cowering. You’ve got people attacking black and Muslim people on the street.
“We need to be able to question ministers on what exactly is being done and we want to speak up for our communities. These are racist anti-immigrant riots, and we need proper debate and proper analysis in the House of Commons.”
Abbott, the first black woman elected to the Commons, added that “unless there is a serious analysis of what is happening” she believes “there is no sign of these anti-immigrant incidents abating”.
Updated
Visiting the scene of the disorder in Rotherham, South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard said:
Like every decent person from this community, from my community, from South Yorkshire, from across the country, I’m horrified. I’m appalled by the violence that we saw yesterday.
We saw a violent far-right mob come down to attack 240 of the most vulnerable people in our society and try and burn them in the hotel in which they were living.
That is not OK and there is no excuse for it.
Coppard said:
The far right have always said to those people with little that they need to attack people with even less.
And, that’s what we saw here yesterday: we saw 240 vulnerable people, who came here because in their own homes they have been persecuted.
They came to our country because we are a tolerant and diverse place and they faced those similar attacks that they might have faced at home here in South Yorkshire.
Defence secretary John Healey, who is the local MP, arrived at the scene in Rotherham to talk to residents about “the damage they have suffered and the trauma they have suffered”.
Healey said: “This was an estate yesterday that was wracked with shock and fear.
“Many people in this estate here got holed up in their own homes or felt that they had to get their families out.”
He said: “So, fear for the local residents. Fear for those staff in this hotel and the residents who saw the windows put through and people outside trying the set fire to this hotel knowing there were people inside.
“And then, of course, the violence that the police faced.”
Asked, as defence secretary, whether he had an plans to mobilise the Army, Healey said: “No. It’s the police’s job, their responsibility and they’ve got the powers to lead on disorder like this.”
Farage breaks riot silence to call for recall of parliament
Reform leader Nigel Farage has finally made a statement following the far-right riots across England.
On X, he has said he is “totally appalled” by the violence, while calling for the recall of parliament and consideration of using the army to prevent further disorder.
However, he goes on to further push his own agenda around so-called “two-tier policing” and “uncontrolled immigration”.
Parliament must be recalled for a proper debate. pic.twitter.com/OrQa7o38a1
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) August 5, 2024
Updated
Local people joined council workers to clear up around the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Manvers, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, on Monday morning.
Police officers stood guard outside the main entrance and at other locations around the building as teams swept up glass from the numerous broken windows at the front of the hotel, PA reported.
The fire door where rioters appeared to have got into the four-storey building was boarded up but with the melted remains of a bin still in place in front.
Further damage was visible around the rear of the property where fences were ripped down, doors kicked in and more windows smashed.
The government is not recalling parliament “right now”, home secretary Yvette Cooper has said.
Asked whether MPs will be recalled, she told LBC radio:
That’s not what we’re doing right now. What we’re doing right now is keeping in close contact with MPs.
Updated
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said the courts are on “stand-by” to ensure “swift justice”.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
We have made sure that the courts are on stand-by. We’ve made sure that there are additional prosecutors in place this weekend, and hundreds of arrests have already taken place. So we do expect swift justice to take place.
Asked if the Army would be called upon, Cooper said:
So, the police have the expertise and also the powers in terms of dealing with public order and crime, because this is crime.
There are also significant additional numbers of public order-trained police, who were not deployed this weekend, so there are considerable additional policing resources that forces can call upon.
Pressed on whether the government will take action against Tommy Robinson, who has been accused of stoking tensions from afar, Cooper said:
If it’s a crime offline, it’s a crime online.
“You can’t just have the the armchair thuggery or the people being able to incite and organise violence and also not face consequences for this,” she added.
Claims that there is “two-tier policing” in Britain, where right-wing protests are dealt with more harshly than left-wing ones, are “not correct”, Dame Priti Patel has said.
The former home secretary told Times Radio:
There is a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed, to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worships.
What we have seen is thuggery, violence, racism.
She added:
Those kinds of comments are simply not relevant right now. That is not correct, it is not correct.
Politicians need to make sure they are “fully informed” before commenting on issues on social media, Dame Priti Patel has said, but she stopped short of directly criticising Nigel Farage for his comments about the Southport stabbings.
The former home secretary told Times Radio:
As we’ve seen, and as BJ Harrington, the Chief Constable of Essex, the national police lead for public order, has said very clearly, a lot of what we have seen is down to misinformation and social media.
It is irresponsible to just look at what we see on X or other social media platforms and then effectively say ‘Oh, it’s all down to, you know, comments like this that have been put out on social media, that’s got the full facts’ - it does not.
We have to, as elected politicians, always be careful, number one in the language that we use but ensure that we are as fully informed as we can possibly be before commenting on the situation.
Asked directly whether Farage was wrong to suggest the facts about Southport were being withheld from the public, Patel said his comments were “a matter for him”.
Parliament should be recalled to deal with the outbreak of rioting in the UK, Dame Priti Patel has said.
The former home secretary told Times Radio:
What we are seeing across the country right now is just extraordinary criminality.
At the end of the day, crime and criminality is the responsibility of those who are perpetrating this and we now need to, in my view, as politicians, get some kind of grip of this, which is why I am calling for the recall of parliament right now so that we can actually discuss these issues in a similar way … back in 2011 those discussions took place and actually we put our arm around the communities that were affected at the time.
And I think that’s really what we should be doing right now.
Updated
James Cleverly, the former home secretary, similarly condemned the rioters, and said there “can never be any excuse” for their behaviour.
There is not and can never be any excuse, justification or rationale for behavior like this.
This should be condemned by everybody, and those taking part should expect to be met with the full weight of the law.
There is not and can never be any excuse, justification or rationale for behavior like this.
— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) August 4, 2024
This should be condemned by everybody, and those taking part should expect to be met with the full weight of the law. https://t.co/rCMYb9JgZR
Prison places ready for 'thuggish' rioters, says home secretary
The home secretary has said prison places “are ready” for the “thuggish minority of criminals” rioting across the UK, ahead of an emergency COBRA meeting today.
Yvette Cooper will hold the emergency meeting this morning following nearly a week of rioting in cities and towns across the UK.
More than 140 people have been arrested so far across the country. In Middlesbrough alone, officers arrested 43 people.
She told Sky News those involved, who have injured police, targeted mosques and caused criminal damage, are “a thuggish minority of criminals”.
She said:
They do not speak for our communities.
We’ve made sure there are additional prosecutors in place, that there are prisons, that prison places ready, and also that the courts stand ready as well.
We have made very clear to the police they have our full support in pursuing the full range of prosecutions and penalties, including the serious prison sentences, long term tagging, travel bans and more.
Updated
Last night, Rishi Sunak put his focus on the rioters rather than the Labour PM, as he described the “shocking scenes” that he said “have nothing to do with the tragedy in Southport”.
In a post on X, he said:
The shocking scenes we’re seeing on the streets of Britain have nothing to do with the tragedy in Southport.
This is violent, criminal behaviour that has no place in our society.
The police have our full support to deal with these criminals swiftly and they must face the full weight of the law.
The shocking scenes we’re seeing on the streets of Britain have nothing to do with the tragedy in Southport.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) August 4, 2024
This is violent, criminal behaviour that has no place in our society.
The police have our full support to deal with these criminals swiftly and they must face the full…
Opening summary
Good morning. It has been a week since the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, which has seen a series of violent riots spread across the country.
Here is a quick summary of what happened last night, and what is expected later today:
Downing Street is expected to hold a Cobra emergency response meeting on after rioters storming hotels housing asylum seekers. The meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure there is no repeat of the violent scenes.
A large crowd gathered outside a mosque in Middlesbrough on Sunday night and others have also been targeted.
In Rotherham, anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of the Holiday Inn Express before starting fires. At least 10 officers were injured, including one who was knocked unconscious, South Yorkshire Police confirmed later, saying one person had already been arrested and others involved should “expect us to be at their doors very soon”.
In Bolton, Muslim groups apparently shouting “Allahu Akbar” clashed with far-right rioters.
Updated
