UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Thursday to intensify efforts to prevent further far-right riots across English towns and cities as additional convictions were handed down for those involved in the unrest.
Starmer convened another emergency meeting with senior ministers and police leaders later in the day to strategize for potential disruptions in the coming days. Top police chief Gavin Stephens cautioned that those “intent on violence and destruction have not disappeared.”
He also emphasized that the criminal justice system would continue to operate “speedily” to process those already detained during a week of near-nightly riots in England and Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland, the devolved assembly was recalled from its summer recess following another night of disturbances in Belfast. The unrest led to five arrests and an injury to a police officer. Police in Northern Ireland have attributed the violence to pro-UK loyalist paramilitaries.
In England, nearly 500 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the unrest, with several more individuals receiving jail sentences from a Liverpool judge for their participation. The disturbances, initially ignited by a July 29 knife attack that resulted in the deaths of three children, have seen attacks on mosques, migrant-related facilities, and other targets.
Officials have pointed to misinformation spread on social media about the suspect as a major factor driving the chaos.
“It’s crucial that we remain vigilant,” Starmer stated during a visit to a mosque and meeting with community leaders in Solihull, western England. He credited “police deployed in numbers in the right places” for helping to alleviate the unrest overnight.
Wednesday evening largely saw a return to peace. Instead of the anticipated far-right demonstrations at various immigrant support sites, thousands of anti-racism and anti-fascism protesters held peaceful rallies in cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
In Walthamstow, northeast London, thousands chanted “Whose streets? Our streets!” as pro-Palestinian supporters joined the rally amid a heavy police presence. London Mayor Sadiq Khan praised the “thousands of Londoners who stood up against racism” and the “heroic police force” working to ensure safety.
However, the Metropolitan Police reported an investigation into a video filmed at the Walthamstow event, where a now-suspended Labour councillor reportedly incited violence against far-right rioters. The Metropolitan Police have arrested a man in his 50s in connection with this incident.
The UK government has deployed 6,000 specialist police officers across England in preparation for potential flashpoints, following far-right social media calls to target immigration-linked sites. Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley commended the “show of force” from the police and the “unity from communities.”
Rowley noted that while there had been a few arrests related to local criminal behavior, concerns about “extreme-right disorder” had diminished. The National Police Chiefs’ Council reported that 483 people had been arrested since the unrest began on July 30, with 149 charges filed. This number is expected to “continue to rise significantly.”
London police reported an additional 10 arrests overnight, a week after protests outside Downing Street turned violent. Rowley described those arrested as “thugs and criminals,” many of whom had prior convictions.
The riots, the worst in Britain since the 2011 London riots, began after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England, killed three girls and critically injured five others. False reports suggested the suspect was an illegal immigrant and Muslim, though he was later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales, with parents from Rwanda.
The unrest has prompted several countries to issue travel warnings for the UK.
