Dozens of arrests were made following scenes of disorder in England on Saturday, with police warning that further violence is likely in the coming days.
Multiple towns and cities saw clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators and counter-protesters, with police officers attacked and injured, and many more arrests promised.
The string of violent incidents over the past few days began on Tuesday in Southport, after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.
British home secretary Yvette Cooper said people involved in the clashes “will pay the price” and that “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets”.
British prime minister 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. The far right has drawn condemnation from MPs across the political spectrum after disorder in London, Manchester, Southport and Hartlepool came before Saturday’s violence.
Arrests have been made across the country with police warning of more to come once CCTV, social media and body-worn camera footage has been scoured.
England's justice secretary Shabana Mahmood told ministers “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible”, a Downing Street spokesperson said, which could see courts sitting for 24 hours a day as they did for the 2011 riots, according to one report.
There was violence on Saturday in towns and cities such as Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast which saw several police officers injured.
It followed a riot in Sunderland on Friday evening.
England's culture secretary Lisa Nandy said anyone who attacks police “should be ashamed”.
She wrote on X: “I cannot thank our local police enough for everything they’re doing to keep people safe. They were among the first on the scene when the horrendous incident unfolded in Southport. They run into danger to keep us safe, and those who attack them should be ashamed.” Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said “violence is not acceptable”. “Northern Ireland must always be a place that protects the right to protest, the right to have a view and to express it”, she posted on X. “Let’s be VERY clear – violence is not acceptable. It never was and it is not now. No one, NO ONE, has the right to express hate and violence. Stop it now.”
In Liverpool, Merseyside Police said about 300 people were involved in violent disorder on County Road, Walton, which included community facilities being set on fire.
The Spellow Lane Library Hub, which was opened last year to provide support for one of the most deprived communities in the country, suffered severe damage to the ground floor.
Police said rioters tried to prevent firefighters from accessing the fire, throwing a missile at the fire engine and breaking the rear window of the cab.
A total of 23 people were arrested on Saturday, Merseyside Police said, including 12 arrests for the disorder in the city centre, nine arrests for the disorder on County Road and two arrests in connection with the disorder in Southport.
One officer was kicked and knocked off his motorcycle by a demonstrator and others tried to kick riot shields.
