Sir Keir Starmer has called the COBRA meeting after shocking scenes in Tamworth and Rotherham. (Image: GETTY)
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have scheduled a Cobra emergency response meeting today after a mob tried to storm two hotels housing asylum seekers yesterday amid widespread public disorder throughout the UK. The Prime Minister has warned rioters they would “regret” engaging in what he branded “far-right thuggery” and promised those involved in unrest would “face the full force of the law” as he addressed the nation last night.
Monday’s meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure there is no repeat of the violent scenes. The Home Office yesterday announced 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.
In both Rotherham and Tamworth, anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of the Holiday Inn Express before starting fires. At least 10 officers were injured, 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. A similar incident occurred at a Holiday Inn hotel in Staffordshire, where asylum seekers are also believed to be housed.
People threw projectiles, smashed windows, started fires and targeted officers, Staffordshire Police said.
Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered outside a mosque in Middlesbrough on Sunday night and others have also been targeted. There were 43 arrests, and significant damage was caused to the Crown Court and the University, Cleveland Police said.
Public disorder has swept across the nation in the wake of the triple murder of three young girls stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport. The anger has been fuelled by false rumours online that the perpetrator was a Syrian asylum seeker and a Muslim.
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Protesters clash with police at Holiday Inn in Tamworth
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Ciaran McGrath
Police officer punched in the face during Weymouth protests
Police officer punched in the face during Weymouth protests
A police officer was been punched in the face during protests in Weymouth yesterday.
Rival anti-immigration and anti-racism took place along the south coast town’s Esplanade.
However, two Dorset Police officers were injured during the protests, one being hit in the face with a bottle thrown at them and another was punched.
Assistant Chief Constable, Mark Callaghan, said: “We have been liaising with the organisers of both groups in the build up to the event to ensure people can exercise their right to protest without causing significant or ongoing disruption.
“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.
“Our approach to this operation was to enable peaceful protests, but if people were intent on committing public order or criminal offences, they would be dealt with robustly as such behaviours would not be tolerated and this is the style of policing that we have delivered and what our communities expect.
Police were out in force in Weymouth yesterday (Image: GETTY)
Ciaran McGrath
Police chief urges Starmer to be honest about ‘causes of civil unrest’
Also speaking yesterday, the Tory chairwoman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners urged the PM to acknowledge the widespread discontent which she says is fuelling protests across the UK this week.
In remarks initially shared on her organisation’s website, Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said it was time for an honest discussion about the underlying factors.
Her statement, which appeared to have been deleted from the site, was today shared by the Conservative Post website, and triggered criticism from Liberal Democrat MP for Winchester Danny Chambers and Former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal.
Ms Jones said: “The government must acknowledge what is causing this civil unrest in order to prevent it. Arresting people, or creating violent disorder units, is treating the symptom and not the cause.”
Ciaran McGrath
‘Violent mob does not represent this country’
Speaking yesterday, 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, telling the Guardian: “The writing was clearly on the wall for some time.”
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”.
Ms Cooper insisted: “Whatever they and some of their political supporters may tell us, these are not patriots standing up for their communities. They are thugs, criminals and extremists who betray the values our country is built on.”
Those responsible would be “paying the price for years to come”, Ms Cooper added.
Ciaran McGrath
Violence sweeps across the UK in weekend of chaos
Violence has broken out in several parts of England and Northern Ireland following the killing of three young girls in Southport last week.
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 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.
Ciaran McGrath
Starmer calls emergency Cobra meeting after thugs try to torch asylum hotels
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have scheduled a Cobra emergency response meeting today after a mob tried to storm two hotels housing asylum seekers yesterday amid widespread public disorder throughout the UK.
The Prime Minister has warned rioters they would “regret” engaging in what he branded “far-right thuggery” and promised those involved in unrest would “face the full force of the law” as he addressed the nation last night.
Monday’s meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure there is no repeat of the violent scenes.
The Home Office yesterday announced 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.
In both Rotherham and Tamworth, anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of the Holiday Inn Express before starting fires.
Ciaran McGrath
Welcome to our live blog
Welcome to our live blog. We’ll be bringing you regular updates as the Government reacts to a weekend of chaos which saw multiple arrests, police injured and widespread looting.
