A new police unit will be formed to address violent disorder nationwide following riots by far-right groups after the Southport stabbings, the prime minister announced. Sir Keir Starmer vowed not to allow a “breakdown of law and order on our streets” after violent incidents in Southport, Hartlepool, and London, which occurred post-attack that resulted in the death of three young girls attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
My statement on the violent disorder following the horrific tragedy in Southport. https://t.co/TxBT79DH0b
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 1, 2024
During a press conference at Downing Street, the prime minister condemned a “tiny, mindless minority in our society” for causing additional suffering to a grieving community by staging protests after the stabbings. “A gang of thugs got on trains and buses, went to a community that is not their own,” Sir Keir stated. These individuals threw bricks at police officers who were dealing with the aftermath of an attack on children in their community.
In announcing the unit to curb rioting, Sir Keir said the government would create “national capability” within police forces to address “violent disorder.” He emphasised that the response must be mobile to match the thugs who move from community to community.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were killed in the attack at The Hart Space community centre in Southport, near Liverpool, on Monday. Eight other children suffered stab wounds, with five now stable and two discharged from hospital. Two adults remain in critical condition.
The violence began on Tuesday night outside a Southport mosque, where demonstrators attacked officers and set a police van on fire. The disorder spread to London and Hartlepool by Wednesday night. The Metropolitan Police reported 111 arrests in London as flares were thrown at Downing Street’s gates, and cans and glass bottles were hurled at riot police. Demonstrators waved England flags and banners reading “Stop the boats,” spurred by false social media claims that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible for the girls’ deaths.
The Metropolitan Police noted minor injuries among officers and detained those arrested for violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. In Hartlepool, eight people were arrested for similar offences after protesters threw missiles, glass bottles, and eggs at police. Several officers sustained minor injuries, and a police car was set ablaze.
Sir Keir spoke to journalists following a meeting with police chiefs, expressing his support for granting them appropriate powers to prevent future riots. He stressed that the meeting was about coordinating a response to the immediate challenge posed by far-right hatred and other violent disorders. He mentioned the government’s plans to use shared intelligence, facial recognition technology, and “preventative action” such as criminal behaviour orders to restrict individuals’ movements before they join another demonstration.
Downing Street stated that local insight and data would be utilised, with the British Transport Police tasked with alerting police forces about spikes in train ticket sales potentially linked to organised violent disorder.
The prime minister made it clear that the riots were not legitimate protests but “crime, violent disorder, and an assault on the rule of law and justice.” He pledged to put a stop to it on behalf of the British people who expect their values and security to be upheld.
On Wednesday night, a 17-year-old boy, Axel Rudakubana from Banks village, was charged with the murders of the three girls in Southport, the attempted murders of 10 others, and possession of a knife. Rudakubana, born in Cardiff, Wales, was identified by a judge this morning.
Sir Keir also condemned social media companies for facilitating the spread of the violent disorder following the stabbings, stating, “That is also a crime. It’s happening on your premises. And the law must be upheld everywhere.”
