The United Kingdom is bracing for another night of violence as far-right mobs have planned rallies at around 100 places and have issued another ‘hit list’. Even as British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned that rioters will meet the full force of the law, the far-right mobs appear to go ahead with plans of carnage. In addition to 100 rallies, the authorities have learnt that the far-right mobs have prepared a ‘hit list’ of as many as 39 places associated with immigration lawyers and charities that are expected to be attacked on Wednesday night, according to British media.
In England and Wales, 41 of 43 police departments have been mobilised to deal with the rioters. The British government has said an ‘army’ of around 6,000 riot-control police personnel have been deployed to tackle the mobs. For more than a week, far-right mobs have rampaged through British towns and have indulged in violence in at least 23 locations since Friday, according to The Sun. The anti-immigrant riots began after a murder of three girls last month in the British town of Southport. Since then, the UK has witnessed some of the worst rioting in many years with shops and settlements of immigrant communities, including those from South Asia, being attacked and marketplaces being looted. More than 400 rioters have so far been arrested and their prosecution has already started.
The British police forces, including specialised riot-control personnel, are bracing for far-right demonstrations at 100 places. Moreover, the security services are also bracing for attacks on dozens of places as the far-right groups have circulated a ‘hit list’ of 39 places comprising immigration lawyers, asylum centres, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The police are particularly concerned as far-right groups have been circulating ‘arson manuals’. The Sun has reported that the manual has instructions on how to make petrol bombs to carry out attacks as part of the riots. It further said that a watchdog has revealed that far-right online forums have also issued calls for the murder of ethnic minorities and government ministers.
In the wake of nearly-nationwide far-right violence, the British security services have mounted one of the biggest security operations since the World War II. In addition to 6,000 riot-control police personnel, around 2,000 additional personnel have been drafted to protect specific locations expected to be attacked, according to The Sun. So far, more than 100 police personnel have been injured in the attacks. The newspapers reported that 51 police personnel were injured while protecting an asylum centre in Rotherham and another 53 were injured in Southport last week. The police are also preparing to tackle the fall-out from around 30 counter-demonstrations against the far-right mobs. The newspaper has reported that riot hotspots for Wednesday are London, Birmingham, Aldershot, Middlesbrough, Tamworth, and Rotherham.
As more than 400 rioters have been arrested, British PM Sir Starmer has warned that the riots will face the full force of the law. Of those arrested, around 100 people have already been charged. Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said that rioters will be sentenced within one week of their arrest and there will be no lengthy trials. Starmer said, “Those involved will feel the full force of the law…Over 400 people now have been arrested, 100 have been charged —some in relation to online activity— and a number of them are already in court. I’m now expecting substantive sentencing before the end of this week.” Starmer further said everyone involved in the rioting, either online or offline, will be punished. “That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week and that nobody, but nobody should be involving themselves in this disorder,” said Starmer. Separately, the top British prosecutor has said that terrorism charges are being considered against the rioters. “We are willing to look at terrorism offences. I’m aware of at least one instance where that is happening. Where you have organised groups planning activity for the purposes of advancing [an] ideology… planning really, really serious disruption then yes, we will consider terrorism offences,” said Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecution.
