- Rioters will 'regret' taking part in 'far-right violence', Starmer says
- Mosques to be protected under new 'rapid response process'
- The response to the violence may mirror how the 2011 riots were handled.
LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed rioters would “regret” taking part in “far-right violence” after a sixth day of escalating violence in England, as the government announced emergency security for mosques and swift legal action amid the threat of more disorder in coming days.
In a televised address to the nation, the Prime Minister condemned the attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham and vowed that those involved in the rioting would “face the full force of the law”.
Speaking from Downing Street, Starmer, 61, suggested that rioters who take to the streets and those “who promote this action online and then run away” would face consequences.
Meanwhile, the Home Office announced that mosques would be offered greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly address the threat of further attacks on places of worship.
“People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we have seen Muslim communities attacked, mosques attacked,” the prime minister said.
He said: “Other minority communities targeted, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on police, unbridled violence accompanied by racist rhetoric, so no, I'm not going to hesitate to call it what it is: far-right bullying.”
The Labour leader indicated the response to the violence could reflect elements of how the 2011 riots were handled, when he was Director of Public Prosecutions.
“We have standing law enforcement arrangements, which means we can achieve arrests, charges, pretrial detention and convictions very quickly,” he said.
“I was part of that myself in 2011 when I was Director of Public Prosecutions, and I am determined that we will do whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice as quickly as possible.”
He told reporters that he has spent time in recent days working with the police and the judicial system to “ensure that the necessary steps have been taken to enforce the law.”
This means the system can carry out “arrests, charges, pretrial detention, custody and sentencing very quickly.”
“I want you to know that this violent mob does not represent our country and we will bring them to justice,” he said.
Asked if he thought everyone taking part in the riots was a far-right thug, he said: “If you're attacking people because of the colour of their skin or their face, then that's far-right and I'm prepared to say that. But it doesn't matter what the apparent motivation is. This is violence, not protest. It doesn't matter what the motivation is.”
He lashed out at “marauding gangs intent on breaking the law or worse” and added: “There is no justification, none, for taking this action and all sensible people should condemn this type of violence.”
Ministers have suggested that courts could sit 24 hours a day to speed up judicial proceedings — as they did in 2011 — while police forces take steps to recruit extra officers to deal with potential unrest.
This comes as anti-immigration protesters attacked police and smashed the windows of a hotel in Rotherham as the atmosphere became increasingly feverish on the sixth day of unrest in England.
Masked men threw pieces of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at officers outside a Holiday Inn Express, and some broke through the police line and entered the ground floor, which was set on fire during the disorder.
A police helicopter flew overhead and at least one injured riot police officer was taken to the scene.
Meanwhile, a group of rioters in Middlesbrough smashed windows of houses and cars and threw objects at officers on Sunday afternoon.
This follows similar scenes of rioting in Southport, Belfast, Hartlepool, Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Sunderland and elsewhere earlier in the week.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the deliberate burning of a hotel where people were known to be inside was “absolutely appalling” and South Yorkshire Police had the backing of the government to take “the strongest possible action”.
The Interior Ministry on Sunday offered mosques greater protections as part of a new process, under which it said a “rapid security” deployment can be requested to allow a return to worship as quickly as possible.
Violence has erupted in parts of England and Northern Ireland following the murder of three girls in Southport on Monday, with 147 arrests made since Saturday alone.
Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old, is accused of the attack, but false claims have spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had travelled to the UK by boat.
The far right has been widely condemned as the organizing force behind the subsequent riots, in which bricks were thrown at police officers, community facilities (including a library) were set on fire, mosques were attacked and shops looted.
Cooper said: “Britain is a proud and tolerant country and no-one should make excuses for the shameful actions of thugs, vandals and extremist groups who have been attacking police officers, looting local shops or targeting people because of the colour of their skin.
“In light of the shameful threats and attacks that local mosques have also faced in many communities, the Government is providing swift additional support through the Protective Security Scheme for Mosques, alongside support from local law enforcement and we repeat that anyone involved in this disorder and violence will face the full weight of the law.
“As a nation, we will not tolerate criminal conduct, dangerous extremism or racist attacks that go against everything our country stands for.”
Starmer said he wanted those who “feel attacked because of the colour of their skin” to know that “this violent mob does not represent our country.”
Forces are bracing for further unrest, with Greater Manchester Police issuing a Section 60AA order in Bolton requiring people to “remove face coverings used to disguise or conceal their appearance”, which will remain in force until 10pm.
The widespread unrest represents the biggest challenge yet to Starmer'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.
Ministers have so far said they have been assured by police that forces have the resources they need to respond to the violence.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Britain said British Muslims have been living in anxiety and fear as far-right mobs have terrorised Muslim communities across the country, attempting to attack mosques and individuals.
Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “In the past week we have seen two Britains in action. The first is a conventional, multicultural, compassionate Britain driven by hope. We saw this reflected on the streets of Southport as communities came together to clean up after protests outside a mosque. This spirit of solidarity was replicated across the country.
“The second Britain is a marginal, fearful and conflict-ridden Britain, driven by hatred of the other. Far-right thugs came to Southport and other places to spread hatred outside a mosque, mistakenly believing that the person who committed these terrible murders against the poor girls was a Muslim.”
“What we have seen on the streets of Britain is the consequence of rampant Islamophobia – it is acceptable, potent and very real in our society today. The government is right to denounce the extremism seen on our streets, but it has been silent on the Islamophobia that fuels that extremism.
“This weekend there have been reports of terrifying Islamophobic and criminal behaviour targeting local communities, including mosques, shops and police.
“These violent thugs have been damaging property, looting shops and attacking innocent bystanders in what appear to be racially motivated attacks. Incidents include stabbings and smashing windows of refugee accommodation, accompanied by chants of Tommy Robinson.
“We commend the police for their bravery in confronting this unprecedented level of violence and criminality. We are heartened by the hundreds of people who stood up to this racism, protected mosques, cleaned up the streets and reminded us of the importance of standing together.”
