Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with police chiefs as protests continue to erupt in various cities. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has indicated that the government is considering whether the English Defence League (EDL) should be proscribed under terror laws
Prime Minister Starmer is set to meet with police leaders on Thursday following “multiple high-profile incidents of extreme violence and public disorder on our streets.” Over 100 people have been arrested in central London as protests stemming from the Southport knife attack spread nationwide.
The protests over the Southend stabbing incident have taken a racial tone and spread to more cities. Protests were reported in Manchester, Hartlepool, and Aldershot, with incidents of disorder and intimidating behaviour. In London, demonstrators launched flares towards Downing Street and at the statue of Winston Churchill, chanting slogans like “stop the boats” and “save our kids” while throwing bottles and cans at officers. The Metropolitan Police stated that conditions placed on the protest had been breached, leading to arrests for various offences, including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. Some officers suffered minor injuries.
In Hartlepool, violence erupted, resulting in injuries to several officers. Cleveland Police reported that eight people were arrested for public order offences after glass bottles and eggs were thrown at police, and a police car was set on fire.
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Greater Manchester Police dispersed protesters in the Newton Heath area after objects were thrown at police and the public. In Aldershot, local MP Alex Baker described how a peaceful protest at a hotel descended into intimidating behaviour due to outsiders intent on causing unrest. “We support the right to peacefully protest, but we will not stand for people coming to our towns to stir up trouble and divide our community,” she stated.
Merseyside Police reported that a large group, believed to be EDL supporters, were responsible for some of the violence in Southport last night. Similar protests were also reported in London, Manchester, Hartlepool, and Aldershot.
When asked by Sky News about the possibility of proscribing the EDL under terrorism laws following the riots, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner suggested it is a matter under government review. “We have laws and proscribed groups, and we regularly review these,” she said. Rayner added that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is likely considering this action. However, she emphasized that the broader issue is addressing the minority who engage in thuggish behaviour that contradicts British values.
Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has been accused of inciting the protests through a viral video. Brendan Cox, husband of the murdered MP Jo Cox, compared Farage to “Tommy Robinson in a suit.” In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) before the riot, Farage questioned the police’s assessment that Monday’s knife attack was not terror-related, saying, “I wonder whether the truth is being held from us, I don’t know.”
Home Office Minister Jess Phillips criticized Farage on social media, stating he could have had his questions answered if he had attended Parliament. “He didn’t turn up; he grifted instead,” she added.
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