UK riots live: Met chief hails counter-protesters as weekend far-right action feared

Greater Manchester Police said they have arrested seven people overnight on suspicion of violent disorder from last weekend’s protests.

A spokesman said: “We would like to thank residents across Greater Manchester who attended protests last night and expressed their views in a peaceful and lawful manner.

“Policing operations for protests or disorder are often complex, and the eyes of the country are on us.

“Whilst the evening passed without significant disorder, we are not complacent, and we will continue our proactive approach to ensure anyone participating in criminal activity faces the full force of the law.

“Since we first saw the increase in violent disorder across the country following the tragic events in Southport on Monday 29 July 2024, we have effectively utilised the resources and support of the entire force, with officers out in communities to assure residents, businesses, and faith leaders of our support and determination.

“Whilst we have seen an increase in misinformation being circulated online, attempting to fuel divisions, we are proud that our communities are standing against this and working with our officers on the ground. So many of our dedicated officers, staff and emergency service colleagues have deployed across the force, day and night, to make sure our communities are safe, and feel safe to have their voices heard.”

The Mayor of London posted on X: “To those who came out peacefully to show London stands united against racism & Islamophobia – thank you.

“To our heroic police force working to keep Londoners safe – thank you. And to those far-right thugs still intent on sowing hatred & division – you will never be welcome.”

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said despite largely peaceful protests there was some antisocial behaviour from a small group “intent on causing trouble” in Croydon.

He said: “More than 1,000 officers were deployed in London ready to respond to events planned across the city.

“They were ready to protect our communities from hateful, divisive and violent behaviour.

“Two large anti-racism protests took place in Waltham Forest and Finchley. The majority of people engaged with officers and complied with conditions. These events passed without major incident or disruption.”

Fears of further violent disorder on Wednesday night were “abated” thanks to a “show of force” from police, Sir Mark Rowley has said.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said: “I’m really pleased with how it went. We put thousands of officers on the streets and I think the show of force from the police and frankly, the show of unity from communities together defeated the challenges that we’ve seen.

“It went off very peacefully last night. [There were] a couple of locations where some local criminals turned out and tried to create a bit of anti-social behaviour and we arrested a few of them, but it was a very successful night and the fears of some sort of extreme-right disorder were abated.”

He added: “We’ve been out doing some dawn raids this morning, the people who were most violent in the Whitehall protests and violence last week… about 70% of them have got criminal backgrounds.

“We’ve got criminal damage, violence, weapons offences, football banning orders. These are criminal thugs. Any suggestion that they’re patriots, or they’ve got a cause that they’re protesting about is nonsense, and frankly, most of them are going to be charged with violent disorder and most of them are going to going to prison for a few years.”

Counter-demonstrations were “on the whole peaceful” and showed that the majority of people in the UK are “tolerant” and “respect the police”, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson has said.

Asked if she praised Wednesday evening’s counter-demonstrations to far right protest plans, she told the BBC: “I think this country has a tradition, doesn’t it, of peaceful protests and I think last night was an example of that.

“Now clearly, because of what has happened in previous days, we were very anxious that we didn’t add to the burden on the police by having to police counter-demonstrations and protests, but luckily last night, everything on the whole was peaceful, so that’s important.

“But I think what last night illustrated was the vast majority of people in this country are law-abiding, are tolerant, respect the police, want their communities to be ones that are safe for all communities and I think that that was demonstrated last night by some of what we saw on the streets with those people who came forward to make their views clear.

“Because unfortunately in the last few nights, what we’d seen was the very small criminal element, the extremists were out on the streets, engaging in disorder and violence and that’s not what Britain is. That is not what the British people are about.”

Detectives are issuing images of 14 people who may have information following incidents of disorder in Merseyside.

Some are photographed with their faces covered appearing to throw objects.

Detective Superintendent Paul Speight said: “It is vital that these people make themselves known as soon as possible, as we think they can assist our ongoing investigations. “The communities of Southport and beyond were disgusted by the violence and damage caused last week and at the weekend.

“We are still working our way through information, images and footage as it comes in and we’ll continue to take action to arrest, charge and put before the courts anyone identified. “We have so far seen 42 people arrested, 15 charged and three jailed.

“There will be more in the coming days, and many people who are sitting comfortably will soon be getting a knock on their door.

“And you will see in coming days, the courts will act as swiftly as possible to jail those people who being violence, racism and hatred into our communities.

“To anyone intent on coming to Merseyside in the future I have the same message: we will find you, and we will put you before the courts.”

If you recognise any of the people pictured, contact us @MerpolCC or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, with reference 24000663787.

Will shared a video of himself talking to camera titled: “When my daughter is scared to go out I have to say something!!

“I’m just sick of waking up to all this horrible, negative, hateful sh**e on social media, most of them faceless accounts that I’m muting by the second,” Will begins with. “It’s just horrible to read and see.”

“My daughter came to me the other day and she was scared about going out because of everything that’s going on in the streets of England.”

He continues: “That’s wrong, man. It’s just… how can we not all see that all we are is people. That’s all we are. The actions of a few don’t represent the rest – there are bad eggs in every single culture, and we do need to sort that out, but the only way we do that is by coming together as people.”

No arrests have been made in Birmingham following reports of a planned anti-immigration protest, police said.

Hundreds of counter-protesters assembled directly outside an immigration advice centre in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, holding banners reading “Oppose Tommy Robinson”, “Bigots out of Brum” and “Stamp out Islamophobia”.

Birmingham police said on social media: “There has been no reported disorder or any arrests made at this evening’s protest in Birmingham.

“Officers will continue reassurance patrols throughout the night as we continue to support our communities and businesses.”

The worst of the far-right violence seen during riots across the country should be treated as terrorism, Britain’s former head of counter-terrorism has warned.

Neil Basu said attempts to set asylum seeker accommodation ablaze in Rotherham was “nothing short of an attempt at a modern-day lynching” as he hit-out at the racially motivated attacks.

The shocking scenes saw an angry far-right mob target the town’s Holiday Inn Express on Saturday, pelting it with rocks and debris while asylum seekers were inside.

A survivor of the Southport stabbing has said riots which have erupted across the country have nothing do with the atrocity.

Grandfather John Hayes, 63, has revealed he is lucky to be alive after he was stabbed in the leg as he rushed to help screaming children during the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

He said the blade – which penetrated his thigh by 12cm – narrowly missed his femoral artery as he confronted the alleged attacker last Monday.

A coroner has opened inquests into the deaths of three girls who were killed in the Southport stabbing.

Senior coroner Julie Goulding paid tribute to the “three young children [who] were full of life and energy and will be missed beyond any description” at the brief hearing at Bootle Town Hall on Wednesday.

Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were pronounced dead shortly after the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class attended by 26 children class on 29 July.