Riots and disorder in the UK: 'Successful night,' Met Police chief says after mostly peaceful rallies across England (2024)

Summary

Thousands of anti-racism protesters gathered in cities and towns across England on Wednesday evening
They rallied in response to a week of anti-immigration rioting, sparked by misinformation over the deadly stabbing in Southport on 29 July
Thousands of extra police officers had been deployed but the protests were largely peaceful with few serious incidents
Met Police chief Mark Rowley called it a "very successful night", saying the fears of extreme-right disorder were "abated"
Both the government and police will be watching to see if the situation is finally calming, after riots that saw more than 400 people arrested and 140 charged

Live Reporting

Edited by Francesca Gillett

Where the main counter-protests took placepublished at 08:19
08:19
As we've been reporting, counter-protesters rallied yesterday evening against anti-immigration demonstrations in English towns and cities.
The below map shows where the largest anti-racism protests took place:
Share your experiences with uspublished at 08:15
08:15
What have you experienced in your area?
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'If you do stuff online we'll come for you' - policing ministerpublished at 08:09
08:09
More now from the government's policing minister Dame Diana Johnson who says those involved in violence will be tracked down - including anyone who encouraged criminality online.
"It's not just those physical acts on the street... but it's also what's happening online," she says.
"If you do stuff online we will come for you just as much as we will come for you for what you do on the streets of our country if you're carrying out criminal disorder and violence."
Johnson adds that social media companies need to understand they have a responsibility not to allow posts that incite racial hatred, and that ministers were in discussions with major platforms.
Policing minister 'cautiously welcoming' last night's peacepublished at 08:02
08:02
Hannah Miller
Political correspondent
The policing minister says she is "cautiously welcoming" the scenes last night.
Dame Diana Johnson said the counter-protests were an example of the UK's "tradition of peaceful protest", demonstrating that the majority of people are "tolerant" and "law-abiding".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Johnson suggests that police have intelligence about protests and processions over the next few days.
She says the mobilisation of police officers to locations across the country "has had a good effect", and thanked officers who have faced "unacceptable" levels of violence.
Met arrests man in south London in dawn raidpublished at 07:56
07:56
Louisa Pilbeam
Reporting from Sutton, south London
Met Commissioner Mark Rowley spoke to us after a dawn raid in Sutton, south London, where a man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorderagainst a police officer.
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The Met chief said that 70% of people who have beenarrested by police have previous criminal convictions and urged people not to be swayedby far-right ideology.
Around 20 officers were involved in the morning raid -which took place on a house in a residential area at 05:30 BST.
The man who was arrested was taken to Sutton police stationfor questioning.
Rowley said his teams were prepared for further protestsat the weekend but warned that anyone involved in violence or racism would becaught as officers are scouring CCTV footage and other evidence.
Watch: Rioters aren't your average man on the street, says Rowleypublished at 07:52
07:52
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, spoke to us earlier, saying 70% of the people arrested over violent anti-immigrant protests already have criminal records.
Here's what he said:
Stormont recalled from summer break to discuss recent violencepublished at 07:34
07:34
Jayne McCormack
NI political correspondent
Executive ministers will meet later ahead of the Northern Ireland Assembly being recalled to condemn recent violence in Belfast.
A successful recall petition will see MLAs return from their summer break to discuss the weekend's events.
Businesses in the city were attacked after an anti-immigration protest erupted into disorder.
It is understood that Chief Constable Jon Boutcher will brief the executive at today's meeting.
- You can read more from Belfast here
Public response 'inspirational' says former chief constablepublished at 07:25
07:25
Also speaking to the BBC this morning is a former chief constable of Durham Police, Mike Barton, who says he finds the public response to the anti-immigration riots "inspirational".
He tells BBC Breakfast the police face an unprecedented threat from those encouraging unrest online - but "last night was a raging success because the police and the public worked together".
He adds: "The great British public showed themselves that policing isn't about the police, good order in society isn't about imposing it with an iron fist and a jackboot, it's about the community saying we want to live peacefully and we're gonna do something about it.
"I think it was inspirational overnight."
People being arrested are mostly criminals, 'not patriots', says Rowleypublished at 07:17
07:17
We’ve got a bit more now from Met Police chief Mark Rowley,who says the bulk of people they're arresting for violence in the riots are "not your average man on the street".
“These are criminals, they’re thugs, they’re not patriots," he tells the BBC.
He says police have been carrying out dawn raids this morning to arrest people who were "seriously violent" in last week’s riots – saying 70% of them have gotcriminal records.
He says they're "not protesters" either, adding: "Any suggestion they're patriots or they've got a cause that they're protesting about is nonsense - they're criminals."
'A very successful night': Met chief praises 'unity from communities'published at 06:54
06:54
We've just been hearing from Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley, who sent thousands of officers to spots around the north of England yesterday and says he's "pleased" with how it went.
“We put thousands of officers on the street and I think theshow of force from the police and frankly the show of unity from communities,together defeated the challenges that we’ve seen," he says.
“It went off very peacefully last night. A couple of locationswe had some local criminals turn out and try and create a bit of anti-socialbehaviour and we arrested a few of them.
“But it was a very successful night and the fears of extreme-right disorder were abated. A successful operation thanks to communities and police.”
Last night in Brighton was 'encouraging', says police commissionerpublished at 06:32
06:32
Image source, Eddie Mitchell
The Conservative police and crime commissioner for Sussex says the rally in Brighton last night was people "there to show their solidarity" against the recent wave of far-right protests.
"Therewere bands playing and flags waving and signs saying things like 'you can'tspell community without unity' and 'no hate here' and of course 'don't hate,gyrate', which is very Brighton," Katy Bourne told BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme last night.
"From what I could see there were probably a handful, I mean literally four or five who perhaps didn't share the same views, they were well outnumbered.
"It was very encouraging to see that strength and that solidarity."
What the papers saypublished at 05:49
05:49
Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter
Several of Thursday's front pages carry pictures of thousands of anti-racism protesters who took to the streets on Wednesday across parts of England.
The Daily Mail calls it the "night anti-hate marchers faced down the thugs" and the paper says "several rallies were thwarted" by protesters who stared down feared far-right rioters.
According to the Guardian, some formed human shields to protect asylum centres.
Those involved in the street violence could be barred from attending football matches, the i newspaper says, adding police are looking into links with hooliganism.
- For a full review of Thursday's newspapers click here
What happened on Wednesdaypublished at 05:38
05:38
- In Liverpool, hundreds of people gathered outside an asylum services office, whose windows had been boarded up as a precaution, to support refugees and immigrants
- In London, the Metropolitan Police said thousands of people had attended protests in Walthamstow and North Finchley which had "passed without major incident"
- About 1,500 counter-protesters gathered in Bristol where streets were filled with trade unionists, anti-fascists and members of the black and Asian community
- In Newcastle-on-Tyne, about 1,000 counter-protesters, mostly Muslims, took over the pavement in front of the Beacon Centre, where an immigration service business had been on a list of expected targets
Read our story on the rallies.
We're backpublished at 05:23
05:23
Patrick Jackson
Live page editor
Image source, AFP
Good morning and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the aftermath of some of the worst rioting England has seen in years.
Fears of new violent disorder by anti-immigration protesters on Wednesday evening largely proved unfounded. Instead, thousands of anti-racism demonstrators turned out in cities and towns to show solidarity with minorities.
In Accrington, Lancashire, pubgoers could be seen embracing Muslims in the street while in Walthamstow, London, one of hundreds of demonstrators told the BBC he had turned out because his multi-ethnic community wanted to "ensure that no-one ever pushes us around".
Stay with us as our reporters across the country bring you the latest developments from the courts processing hundreds of suspected rioters, as well as fresh reaction to the disturbances, which began when false rumours spread after the deadly mass stabbing in Southport last week.
Counter-protesters rally across England in show of unitypublished at 23:27 7 August
23:27 7 August
Aoife Walsh
Live editor
Over the course of this evening, we've been bringing you updates as anti-immigration protesters were outnumbered by counter-protesters rallying across England after a week of unrest.
Businesses boarded up windows and closed early today, as thousands of police officers braced for further disorder, with about 100 events feared to be taking place.
But gatherings in locations where anti-immigration protests had been expected – including north London, Bristol and Newcastle – were largely peaceful.
Counter-protesters turned out in large numbers, chanting slogans such as "hate not welcome here" and "racism off our streets". Only a handful of arrests were reported.
We're pausing our coverage shortly, but you can read more about how the evening unfolded here.
Eight arrests in Croydon, but not linked to protest, Met Police sayspublished at 23:01 7 August
23:01 7 August
We've heard some reports of disorder in Croydon, which the Metropolitan Police says was not linked to protest, but with the intention to "cause disruption and fuel disorder".
Eight people were arrested, the force says, for a range of alleged offences, including assaulting emergency workers, possession of offensive weapons and other offences.
More arrests will follow, the Met adds in a post on X. , external
Watch: 'We won't be silenced', Brentford counter-protesters chantpublished at 22:50 7 August
22:50 7 August
Here's a clip from Brentford, west London, where counter-protesters chanted "we won't be silenced", in response to an anticipated anti-immigration protest:
Woman, 70s, waves stick at men in balaclavas at Blackpool protestpublished at 22:39 7 August
22:39 7 August
Mike Stevens
Reporting from Blackpool
Police managed to keep order in the South Shore area of Blackpool, despite some angry and racist outbursts from the crowd of about one hundred protesters.
There were also a handful of counter-protesters.
A woman in her 70s waved her stick at a group of young men wearing balaclavas, telling them everyone was welcome in Blackpool regardless of the colour of their skin.
Police dogs were used to control the crowd and one man was arrested. Most of the protestors have now gone and a small police presence remains.
Brighton anti-immigration protesters driven away by policepublished at 22:35 7 August
22:35 7 August
Image source, Eddie Mitchell
In Brighton, counter-protesters turned out in their hundreds, outnumbering a handful of anti-immigration protesters, who ended up sheltering against a building in Queens Road, surrounded by police.
Counter-protesters were shouting at them "you came to the wrong town", and "shame on you" and "this is what community looks like", along with calls of "Nazi scum off our streets".
Dozens more police officers arrived to double the strength of the ring around the anti-immigration protesters so it was two officers deep.
Police later moved them away from the crowd, before they were driven away in a police van towards the railway station.
Read more here.
Arrest in Bristol after brick thrown at police vehiclepublished at 22:21 7 August
22:21 7 August
Police in Bristol say they have made an arrest after a brick was thrown at a police vehicle during a "largely peaceful" protest.
Avon and Somerset Police said the arrest was made on West Street.
"We've facilitated a largely peaceful protest but we won't tolerate acts of criminality," Avon and Somerset Police said.
"Significant numbers of officers remain in the Old Market area to maintain order."