Eko Hot Blog reports that during a meeting with government ministers on Saturday, a spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer relayed that the Prime Minister emphasized the distinction between the right to freedom of expression and the violent disorder witnessed recently, stating that “there is no excuse for violence of any kind” and affirming that the government supports the police in taking all necessary actions to ensure public safety.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed this sentiment, warning that anyone involved in “unacceptable disorder” would face consequences, including arrests and prosecutions. She reinforced that “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets” and assured that the police have the government’s full support in addressing such activities.
Cooper further mentioned that some suspects have already been detained, with more arrests anticipated, and highlighted that individuals involved in violence could face “imprisonment and travel bans.” She assured that sufficient prison spaces are available and stressed that everyone has “the right to feel safe.”
In various locations, groups chanting Islamophobic and anti-immigration slogans were met with counter-demonstrations by anti-racist and anti-fascist activists. In Liverpool, clashes erupted near the city’s waterfront, resulting in bricks, bottles, and a flare being thrown at police. Two officers were hospitalized, one with a suspected broken nose and another with a suspected broken jaw. Six arrests were made.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Simms condemned the violence, stating that the actions of a few do not represent the people of Merseyside and that attempts to sow division in the community would not succeed.
In Manchester, there were scuffles with the police, leading to at least one arrest. In Belfast, protesters outside a mosque threw objects at media members and smashed a cafe window earlier. In Hull, demonstrators broke a hotel window housing asylum seekers and threw bottles and eggs at police. The city center saw shops ransacked and items set on fire, with three officers injured and four arrests made.
City Hall in Hull was put on lockdown due to the unrest while the British Chess Championships were being held inside.
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