Violent disorder sees police officers injured as Prime Minister vows action
Planned anti-immigration protests took place in a number of cities across the country.
Violent disorder in towns and cities led to officers being injured as objects such as bricks, chairs and bottles were thrown at police.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the police have his “full support” to take action against “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” by intimidating communities as he held emergency talks with ministers over the unrest in parts of England.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said those engaging in violence “will pay the price” and that “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets”.
Cities in England and Northern Ireland saw clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators and counter-protesters on Saturday, with police forming lines with riot shields to keep groups apart.
The far-right has drawn condemnation from MPs across the political spectrum after disorder in London, Manchester, Southport and Hartlepool over the past three days.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Sir Keir met with ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister, Home Secretary, Justice Secretary and the policing minister to discuss the disorder and unrest.
They said: “The Prime Minister began by thanking the police who responded to the violence committed by a small minority of thugs in Sunderland last night which injured four officers.
“Addressing the scenes of disorder we have seen today (Saturday), the Prime Minister set out that the police have our full support to take action against extremists on our streets who are attacking police officers, disrupting local businesses and attempting to sow hate by intimidating communities.”
The spokesperson said the Justice Secretary had told those present that offenders who have committed violence over the past few days have been remanded in custody and “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible”.
They added: “The Prime Minister ended by saying the right to freedom of expression and the violent disorder we have seen are two very different things.
“He said there is no excuse for violence of any kind and reiterated that the Government backs the police to take all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”
The Home Secretary said she had been “talking to MPs across the country” and “that work will continue” when asked whether Parliament should be recalled over the disorder, as Tory former home secretary Dame Priti Patel has insisted.
She said: “I’ve already been talking to MPs across the country and making sure that they and their constituencies are also able to hear from the local police and to work with local communities.
“That work will continue, it’s really important that local representatives, also local community leaders are involved working with the police.
“But the bottom line here is we cannot stand for this kind of thuggery or criminal disorder on our streets.”
Merseyside Police said a number of officers were injured during “serious disorder” in Liverpool city centre, with one officer being hit on the head by a chair.
Bricks, bottles and a flare were also thrown at officers as they lined The Strand in the city centre.
Another officer was kicked and knocked off his motorcycle by a demonstrator and others tried to kick riot shields.
In Hull, four people have been arrested as three officers were hurt after a group of people targeted a hotel which houses asylum seekers.
Humberside Police Chief Superintendent Darren Wildbore said officers have “faced eggs and bottles being thrown” as windows were smashed at the hotel which has housed migrants.
Later in the city shops were looted and set on fire
Elsewhere, bricks were thrown at officers in Stoke-on-Trent, there were arrests for violent disorder in Bristol and fireworks were thrown amid tense exchanges between an anti-Islamic group and an anti-racism rally in Belfast.
Four men have been arrested following disorder in the Staffordshire city.
And scuffles broke out as opposing groups faced each other in Nottingham’s Market Square with bottles and other items thrown from both sides, and chants of “England till I die” and “Tommy Robinson” were drowned out by boos from counter-protesters.
At least three people were led away in handcuffs in the East Midlands city.
Around 150 people carrying St George flags shouting “You’re not English any more” and “Paedo Muslims off our street” were greatly outnumbered in Leeds by hundreds of counter-protesters shouting “Nazi scum off our streets”.
Skirmishes broke out between demonstrators and punks in Blackpool, with bottles and chairs being thrown and wood wielded.
The string of violent incidents began in Southport on Tuesday, where demonstrators attacked police and set cars on fire the day after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.
The weekend protests followed a night of “unforgivable” violence in Sunderland in Friday, which saw a Citizens Advice office burned down.
A priest at Sunderland Minster said yobs tried to smash a gravestone to use for missiles during widespread violence in the city, adding that it was “an act of sacrilege”.
Thousands of people had turned out to pay their respects to Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, at a vigil in Southport on Tuesday.
Violence later erupted outside a mosque in the town and 53 police officers and three police dogs were injured.
