Downing Street criticised comments by Elon Musk who posted on X that “civil war is inevitable” under a video of violent riots in Liverpool. Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said the violence came from a small minority of people who “do not speak for Britain” and said the prime minister did not share the sentiments of the billionaire, who has previously been criticised for allowing far-right figures back on to his social media platform.
The worst of the far-right violence seen in England this weekend should be treated as terrorism, former police chief Neil Basu said, amid warnings over a new wave of unrest targeting migration lawyers.
England this weekend should be treated as terrorism, a prominent former police chief has said, amid warnings over a new wave of unrest targeting migration lawyers, writes Vikram Dodd, Emine Sinmaz and Neha Gohil.
Police have made 378 arrests since the violence broke out last week, with rioters setting fire to a library, looting shops and storming hotels housing asylum seekers.
A far-right-led mob tried to set fire to the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on Sunday while people were inside. Some masked rioters hurled pieces of wood, bottles and chairs, and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers, 12 of whom were injured.
Neil Basu, Britain’s former head of counter-terrorism, said he believed the attack should be treated as an act of terrorism as he condemned the rioters as “bullies and cowards”.
“Trying to set ablaze a building with people inside, whom you have made clear you detest, is an act of violence against people and property with a racial cause designed to intimidate a section of the public – be it Muslims or asylum seekers,” he said.
“Not only does it fit the definition of terrorism, it is terrorism. It’s nothing short of an attempt at a modern-day lynching and the people who did it should be facing life imprisonment, not a five-year sentence for violent disorder.”
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said protesters who have “thrown projectiles at people” are “not what Plymouth is about”.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said: “There is absolutely no place for violence on our streets. There’s no place for hate on our streets.”
Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, warned children who get involved in disorder could face life-long consequences.
“One of the most striking features of the current outbreak of disorder is that many young people are involved. Children as young as 11. This is deeply disturbing,” he said.
“They may face life-long consequences: conviction, and a permanent record of their involvement on the Police National Database. This can limit their employment options in the future and ability to travel to certain countries.
“For adults, these offences can attract lengthy sentences of imprisonment, beyond the two-year maximum detention available for young offenders.
“Sentencing is a matter for the judiciary, but from the evidence that I have seen, sentencing guidelines suggest that immediate imprisonment will be appropriate for the type of violent disorder that has been witnessed.
“If this seems harsh, the reality, from reports I have received from prosecutors, is that there has been a terrible impact on communities: people barricaded in properties, businesses destroyed and police officers facing violence while trying to keep people safe.”
In Birmingham hundreds of people gathered after rumours of a far-right gathering in England’s second city.
So far no so called protest has emerged and sources said people were starting to disperse.
It is a sign of how tense the situation is across various communities.
Source: theguardian.com
