Sir Keir Starmer anticipates the sentencing of numerous far-right rioters involved in recent upheavals by week’s end, as law enforcement braces for 30 additional gatherings set for Wednesday evening. Police in Liverpool and Durham issued dispersal orders to prevent unrest, resulting in a peaceful Tuesday night, contrasting the violent scenes that erupted across the UK following disturbances in Southport a week prior. Authorities continue to monitor threats against immigration law specialists, some of whom have closed or increased police protection.
Those who break the law will feel the full force of the law. pic.twitter.com/FNCIw7tRzH
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 6, 2024
A list of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies shared in chat groups has identified potential targets for gatherings, urging attendees to “mask up.” The Law Society of England and Wales condemned these gatherings as a “direct assault on our legal profession.” Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood labelled threats against solicitors as “unacceptable,” warning that those responsible would “join the hundreds already arrested by police in the last week.”
By week’s end, approximately 6,000 specialist officers will form a “standing army” of police, as announced by Sir Keir on Monday. These officers, reassigned from their usual duties, will focus on ongoing disorder. Additional riot police are on standby, neighbourhood patrols are increased, and detectives are utilising CCTV, body-worn footage, and retrospective facial recognition to identify violent individuals. Intelligence teams are also monitoring prominent influencers and organisers.
More than 400 arrests have been made in connection to the riots, with charges continuing on Tuesday night and defendants appearing in court on Wednesday. The violence, triggered by false claims about a teenager suspected of a knife attack in Southport on 29 July, has led to looted shops and attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers.
Following his second COBRA meeting in two days, the prime minister addressed reporters, stating, “That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week.” He emphasised that “nobody should involve themselves in this disorder.”
Despite these measures, the prime minister faces accusations of “two-tier policing,” suggesting the far-right is being treated more harshly than other groups. Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, has emerged as one of Sir Keir’s most vocal critics, using his platform to share provocative posts.