Britain Braces for Potential Further Unrest Despite Anti-Racism Campaigners’ Success
British authorities are on high alert for possible further unrest, even as they commend anti-racism campaigners and police for successfully quelling a wave of far-right demonstrations overnight.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged caution following a week of anti-immigrant violence that has affected communities from Northern Ireland to England’s southern coast. Speaking at a mosque in Solihull, near Birmingham, where demonstrators had disrupted a shopping center on Sunday, Starmer emphasized the importance of continued vigilance.
“It’s crucial that we maintain our efforts,” Starmer told reporters.
In an emergency meeting with law enforcement officials, Starmer stressed the need for police to stay on “high alert,” according to the Press Association. He praised the strategic police deployment and prompt legal action against rioters as key factors in preventing further unrest the previous night.
Police across the UK had prepared for potential disorder on Wednesday after far-right activists released a list of over 100 locations they intended to target, including immigration lawyer offices and other migrant services. In response, large crowds gathered to protect asylum service centers and immigration attorney offices, holding signs reading “Refugees Welcome” and chanting “Whose streets? Our streets.”
The government also declared a national critical incident, placing 6,000 specially trained officers on standby. While protests and counter-protests were largely peaceful, there were some arrests.
“The display of police presence and community unity effectively countered the threats we faced,” said Commissioner Mark Rowley of the Metropolitan Police Service. “The events went off peacefully, and the fears of extreme right disorder were mitigated.”
Despite this, tensions remain high. Right-wing agitators exacerbated the situation by spreading false information about the suspect in a knife attack that killed three young girls in Southport last week. Police reported on Thursday that the last child hospitalized from the July 29 attack has now been released.
Nearly 500 people have been arrested nationwide following clashes between anti-immigrant mobs and police, attacks on mosques, and the disruption of hotels housing asylum seekers. Among those arrested was a man in his 50s suspected of “encouraging murder” after a local Labour councilor reportedly called for violence against far-right protesters.
The Labour Party has suspended Ricky Jones, who is accused of making the remark during a London demonstration on Wednesday.
The government has vowed to track down and prosecute those responsible for the disorder, including individuals who incite violence online.
To deter future unrest by demonstrating that rioters will face swift justice, TV cameras were permitted in Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday as Judge Andrew Menary sentenced two men to 32 months in prison. Prosecutors presented video evidence of rioters attacking police with bricks and setting fire to garbage cans.
“There were hundreds watching, as if it were some sort of entertainment,” Menary remarked. “All of them should be deeply ashamed.”
Northern Ireland’s regional assembly met on Thursday to address the unrest. Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned the violence and racist attacks, stating they do not reflect the people of Northern Ireland. “We need to call it what it is: racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia,” she said. “To tackle it, we must name it and confront it.”
The government is also exploring additional sanctions beyond jail time, including bans on attending soccer matches for those involved in the disorder. Home Office minister Diana Johnson told LBC Radio that various options are under consideration, emphasizing that football clubs do not want to be associated with hooligans and criminals in their stands.