05/08/24
Emergency COBRA meeting 'to be called this morning' after week of riots, with scores of police officers hurt, hundreds of far right thugs arrested and Britain teetering on the brink of nationwide chaos
Downing Street is expected to hold a Cobra emergency response meeting this morning after hundreds of far right thugs were arrested in riots which saw attacks on police and buildings set alight on the sixth day of escalating disorder.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed rioters would 'regret' engaging in 'far-right thuggery' and promised those involved in unrest would 'face the full force of the law' as he addressed the nation on Sunday.
Monday's meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure Britain is brought back from the edge of nationwide chaos.
Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said this week's violence is 'clearly far-right extremism' that is 'driven by racism' and said he would have called a Cobra meeting sooner.
Riots have broken out across the country fuelled by misinformation on social media since three little girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport on Monday.
Hundreds of police officers have been injured in clashes with thugs, as far-right activists led the way in attacking police officers, mosques and hotels thought to house asylum seekers this week.
Islamophobic chants were heard and in some areas of the country rioters were filmed stopping cars and interrogating drivers about whether they were 'white and English'.
Speaking ahead of the Cobra meeting, the Home Secretary said the Government is not recalling Parliament 'right now': 'That's not what we're doing right now. What we're doing right now is keeping in close contact with MPs.'
In response, the Home Office announced on Sunday that mosques would be offered greater protection under a new 'rapid response process' designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.
A large crowd gathered outside a mosque in Middlesbrough on Sunday night and others have also been targeted.
On Saturday night Spellow Lane Library in Liverpool was torched while in Sunderland local travel agents Hays Travel, known for its commitment to raising money for charity, had its storefront smashed.
In Rotherham, anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of the Holiday Inn Express before starting fires in an apparent attempt to set the building alight while dozens of people were inside it.
At least 10 officers were injured there, 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'.
Masked men hurled lengths of wood, chairs and bottles, and sprayed fire extinguishers at officers outside after some 700 people gathered.
Islamophobic and racist chants were heard at multiple riots across the country, with images appearing to show some members of the mobs performing Nazi salutes.
A similar incident played out at a Holiday Inn hotel in Tamworth into Sunday evening, where reports suggested asylum seekers were also being housed.
People threw projectiles, smashed windows, started fires and targeted officers, Staffordshire Police said.
A group of rioters in Middlesbrough smashed the windows of houses and cars and threw objects at officers on Sunday afternoon, with one seen shouting a racial slur and another telling police: 'It's our f****** country.'
There were 43 arrests, and significant damage was caused to the Crown Court and the University, Cleveland Police said.
Greater Manchester Police issued a Section 60AA order amid disturbances in Bolton, requiring people to 'remove face coverings used to disguise or conceal their appearance'.
And in Weymouth, police said three people were arrested and dispersal orders put in place for several teenagers.
A 42-year-old man from Yeovil was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence, a 62-year-old man from Yeovil was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and a 27-year-old man from Weymouth was arrested for assault.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan said two officers were injured - one when a bottle his them in the face and a second who was punched in the head.
He said: 'There were rumours circulating that asylum seekers currently housed on the Bibby Stockholm would be moved to Portland, Weymouth or the wider Dorset Council area but the Home Office have confirmed this is not the case.
'In addition, there are no asylum seekers housed in hotels in the Weymouth area.'
The widespread unrest poses the biggest challenge yet to Sir Keir's premiership, with MPs including Ian Byrne and Dame Priti Patel saying Parliament should be recalled as it was in 2011 so the Commons could debate the riots.
The race riots have spread from Southport to cities including London, Leeds, Rotherham, Manchester, Blackbool, Belfast and Aldershot.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there would be a 'reckoning' following unrest across England, as she pledged that anyone involved in the riots will 'pay the price'.
She told Sky News: 'It's a total disgrace and there has to be a reckoning. Those individuals who are involved in the disorder need to know that they will pay a price.'
'I've made clear to the police they have my full support in going after the full range of offenders, from those who turned up at the last minute and joined in the looting, to some of the most serious offenders who were pursuing really dangerous arson, really dangerous damage and criminal violence, because we simply cannot stand for this.
'So we should be clear, there will be people who were thinking they were going on their summer holidays this week, and instead they will face a knock on the door from the police.
'They will face arrest and... a police cell, while they wait for trial in order to make sure that they do pay the price for what they have done,' she added.
Ms Cooper claimed that social media has put 'rocket boosters' under far-right organisations.
But she said the courts are on 'stand-by' to ensure 'swift justice': '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, Ms 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, Ms 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.
Shadow Secretary James Cleverly said: 'The things that we have seen are completely unjustified. These are the actions of people who are clearly responding to disinformation online but are obviously motivated by racism.
'We've seen people with Swastika tattoos and making the Nazi salute... attacking people who have no link at all to the terrible incidents that we saw in Southport last week and it is absolutely right that the government is taking firm action.
'When you've people giving Nazi salutes with Swastika tattoos that is clearly far-right extremism.
'It's clearly these attacks on mosques on hotels these are clearly driven by racism and should be unequivocally condemned.'
But he also criticised Starmer's new government for not reacting quickly enough: 'They could and should have been quicker, it's worrying that it's only today that cobra is meeting.
'We want to support the government taking firm action against this violence but they have to move much more quickly and they have to be more agile, more decisive. Had I still be Home Secretary I would have called a Cobra much earlier than this.'
He continued: 'I'm really uncomfortable with the idea that somehow this violence reflects a wider national move. This is a group of extreme people.
'People committing arson, attacking mosques, targeting asylum hotels, they are not reflective of the country. This is a generous and open hearted country. The people in this country are not represented by the thugs that are attacking people, committing arson and targeting places of worship.'
The former first minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf said the army should be called in to stop 'thugs' causing disorder on the streets.
Ministers have so far insisted police have the resources required to respond and have rejected calls to bring in the army.
Sir Keir said he wanted those who 'feel targeted because of the colour of their skin' to know 'this violent mob do not represent our country'.
In his message to rioters, the Prime Minister said: 'I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves.'
Dame Sara Khan, who was Rishi Sunak's independent adviser for social cohesion and resilience until May, blamed the Conservative government for leaving the country open to far-right violence.
'The writing was clearly on the wall for some time,' she told the Guardian.
Writing in The Times, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said 'there will be reckoning' for people who took part in the unrest and those who 'whipped them up on social media and in online chat forums'.
'Whatever they and some of their political supporters may tell us, these are not patriots standing up for their communities,' she said.
'They are thugs, criminals and extremists who betray the values our country is built on.'
She said those responsible would be 'paying the price for years to come'.
Ms Cooper slammed actions taken by rioters this week after more than 420 people were arrested, as she warned 'many more will follow' as authorities scour CCTV footage to identify all those involved.
Clashes, sparked by the murder of three little girls in Southport last Monday, deteriorated further yesterday when a second migrant hotel was set ablaze in Tamworth, while hundreds cheered and clinked beers outside.
In Middlesbrough far-right yobs were filmed stopping traffic to interrogate the passengers to check they were 'white and English'.
Keir Starmer also waded in to warn far-Right rioters 'you'll regret taking part' as he tried to stamp his authority over the first major test of his Premiership.
He blasted 'far-Right thuggery', for which he promised swift justice as he is expected to call a COBRA meeting today.
Meanwhile, the Tories were forced to reprimanded Shadow Wales Secretary Lord Davies of Gower after The Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges said there was 'no political justification' for the riots and Lord Davies retorted: 'Labour blocked the Rwanda Bill 130+ times, of course it's politically justified!'
Writing in the Times the Home Secretary held nothing back when she said: 'Make no mistake: there will be a reckoning for the individuals who took part in this violence, those who whipped them up on social media and in online forums and those who have felt emboldened by this moment to stir up racial hatred.'
Ms Cooper made clear that the crackdown would also cover those spreading misinformation online.
This came after Tommy Robinson posted a video of a confrontation in Stoke and falsely claimed two 'protesters' had been stabbed 'by Muslims'. The post was viewed two million times on X.
Two hours later, Staffordshire Police confirmed the information was false. Those injured were hit by something thrown by their own side.
Actor Laurence Fox has also shared a string of false claims. On Friday night, he posted a list of dozens of acts of violence he alleged had been committed by immigrants under the caption: 'Anyone else had enough?'
Among them was the claim that a 'woman [was] beaten to death by two Somalis while walking her dog' – understood to have been a reference to last month's murder of Anita Rose, 57, in Brantham, Suffolk.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder, but Suffolk Police last night confirmed Fox's tweet was not correct.
Hundreds of people gathered as a group of masked thugs threw a burning bush inside the side entrance of the Hotel Inn Express, Leisure Island, in Tamworth yesterday evening.
'Get out England' was graffitied on the side of the building, as police worked to extinguish the fire inside the hotel's stairwell.
Some people could be heard chanting 'England, England, England,' while others threw objects at police and set off flares and fireworks. One man could be seen running towards police with what appeared to be a large speaker.
Officers clad in riot gear were seen standing in a line guarding the entrance to the hotel. One police officer has suffered a suspected broken arm.
Police have said the violent disorder has been 'successfully dispersed' as they appeal to anyone with information to help identify those responsible.
Starmer blasted 'far-Right thuggery', for which he promised swift justice amid another day of violent scenes nationwide.
He is today expected to hold an emergency COBRA Cabinet meeting, attended by police chiefs, in a bid to ensure the crisis does not spiral further out of control.
He also opened the door yesterday to tougher sentences to act as a 'deterrent', saying he will do 'whatever it takes' to crack down on the violence. He said the sentences would mirror action taken to deal with thuggery during the 2011 riots, when he was Director of Public Prosecutions.
An asylum seeker who was staying at the Holiday Inn in Tamworth when it was set alight, told the Times of his terror as he was beaten up by the mob when they broke in.
'They came onto this floor and hit me until the police drove them down the corridor.'
While another 55-year-old Palestinian said his window was pelted with rocks thrown at his window.
'I was taking some tea when they ran down shouting f***, f***, f***. A shirtless man was shouting and making so much noise. They broke the windows. There were eight on my floor.'
While John Woodcock, a former Labour MP, called for MI6, MI5 and GCHQ to be given additional powers that would allow them to ask social media firms to take down accounts that try to 'fan the flames of British extreme actors'.
Malaysia has become the first country to warn its citizens about the dangers of visiting Britain at the moment.
The statement released by Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'Malaysians residing in or travelling to the United Kingdom are urged to stay away from protest areas, remain vigilant and follow the latest updates and guidance provided by local authorities.'
More than 300 started marching through Middlesbrough after gathering at the city's Cenotaph.
The thugs chanted 'We want our country back' as they made their way through the city centre, before at least two people were taken away in handcuffs.
Police have said that there was a 'staggering' surge of violence which led to 35 people being arrested in Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Rioters smashed the windows of houses and cars and hurled objects at officers, with one seen shouting a racial slur and another telling police: 'It's our f****** country.'
There was significant damage to the crown court, the university and a number of properties in the Parliament Road area.
Cleveland Police said it has now arrested 55 people because of the violence that has swept across Teesside as 20 suspects were also arrested after rioting in Hartlepool on Wednesday.
Assistant Chief Constable David Felton said: 'The level of violence we have seen today is staggering.
'We know the shocking scenes across Middlesbrough today will have caused alarm amongst communities.
'I want to reassure the people of Teesside that we will continue to identify those involved in these acts of violence and arrest them and put them before the courts.'
At one point police used dogs to keep the group back and stop them breaking through and running ahead of the officers patrolling the march. Several pieces of slate were also thrown, along with vapes and full plastic bottles.
Some people kicked bollards into the road so that police vehicles driving ahead of the group could not get through, and one man sat on the bonnet of a police car to stop it moving.
In Bolton, Greater Manchester, violent clashes between rioters and police broke out, with footage showing the activists pushing against officers who had formed a human barricade.
There was also an counter protest in Bolton, where it was reported that large groups of Asian men could be heard shouting 'Allahu Akbar' as they clashed with the far-right.
Last night experts condemned the 'dangerous' behaviour and also called for stricter action against those spreading misinformation.
Festus Akinbusoye, a former police and crime commissioner, said: 'Of course there are discussions to be had about the level of immigration, the type of immigration and issues like integration.
'But misinformation and xenophobic narratives are wrong, irresponsible and dangerous. These actions are having real world consequences and the people spreading dangerous lies need to be brought to book.'
Mr Akinbusoye, who was Britain's first black PCC, added: 'Our entire criminal justice system is going to have to be revisited in terms of how the authorities are going to be able to legitimately counter and pre-empt these narratives.
'I understand that police forces need to be careful about what they put into the public domain but they need to... publish safe information whenever possible.'
Tory leadership hopeful Mel Stride said the scrapping of pilots of rapid-response police units, introduced by the Tories last March, may make it harder to tackle the current disorder.
It comes after an angry far-right mob stormed into a hotel in Rotherham yesterday, hurling chairs and spraying fire extinguishers at riot police, while setting bins, a generator and furniture alight.
Around 700 violent thugs clad in balaclavas and draped in St George's flags clashed with officers trying to protect the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire since around 2pm this afternoon.
At least 10 officers have been injured in the chaos outside the hotel on the northern outskirts of the post-industrial town. One was left unconscious following a head injury, another suffered a suspected fractured elbow and other suspected broken bones.
It marks yet another day of violent riots of Britain's streets, with crowds in Middlesbrough setting fire to a car and pushing burning wheelie bins at police, while thugs in Rotherham smash windows and doors as riot police use shields to push them back.
South Yorkshire Police said one person has been arrested on suspicion of public order offences.
Similar scenes could be seen in Weymouth, as around 400 protesters from opposing sides gathered on the seafront to chant at each other. One side could be heard chanting 'Nazis go home', while the other shouted 'Tommy Robinson'.
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