Starmer announces national unit to tackle violent disorder from 'mindless minority'

The prime minister held an emergency meeting on Thursday after violent unrest in London, Hartlepool and Manchester overnight

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a new national cross-police force unit to tackle violent disorder, in the wake of riots in response to the killing of three children in Southport.

At least a dozen police chiefs attended emergency meeting with the prime minister in Downing Street, following a second night of violence across England.

More than 110 people were arrested in London, after protestors - wearing England flags and waving banners - launched beer cans and glass bottles at police, and threw flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, on Wednesday.

Sir Keir called those enacting the violence "a tiny mindless minority".

The unit will see intelligence shared between police forces, the wider use of facial recognition technology and the use of criminal behaviour orders to restrict the movement of offenders.

He said the approach taken would be similar to that currently used to deal with "football hooligans".

"We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe," he added.

"It is not protest, it is not legitimate, it is crime, violent disorder.

"These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police force that can do the same."

Speaking of the families impacted by events in Southport, he added: "I call on everyone to give them, and indeed the wider community, the space to grieve and time for the authorities in Merseyside to do their job."

The Metropolitan Police said there were "unacceptable scenes of disorder and violence" at the London protest, in which police officers were attacked and subjected to assault.

“One of our colleagues was punched in the chest and another kicked multiple times,” Scotland Yard added.

Arrests were made for alleged offences including violent disorder, assaults on police officers, possession of knives and offensive weapons and breach of protest conditions.

“All our thoughts should be with the victims and families of those impacted by the most dreadful attack in Southport. It is shameful that some have sought to exploit this tragedy as justification for their own violence and criminality", the force said.

"We very much welcome the discussions the Government on how we pull together the

Starmer also gave a warning to social media companies, stating that "the law must be upheld everywhere."

He said: “Inciting violence online is a criminal offence and that is not a matter of free speech. It is a criminal offence.

“Clearly, in relation to platform providers, there’s a balance to be struck."

Further unrest was reported in Hartlepool and Manchester overnight while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.

Demonstrators chanting "enough is enough" and "stop the boats" had congregated outside Downing Street, in the wake of the killing of three young girls in a knife attack in Southport, which social media posts had wrongly claimed was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who crossed the Channel in a small boat.

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The angry scenes also included loud chants of "We want our country back" and "Oh Tommy Robinson", referring to the right-wing activist.

One man wore a shirt with the slogan: "Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary".

Confrontations continued late into the night in Hartlepool, where demonstrators set fire to a police car and pelted officers with missiles, including glass bottles.

Seven men, one youth and one woman, aged between 14 and 54, have been arrested on suspicion of various offences including violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

Cleveland Chief Constable Mark Webster said the disorder in Hartlepool was unprecedented for even long-standing officers.

“This is not Hartlepool,” he said.

“Officers who have worked here for two or three decades have never seen anything like this."

Manchester Police confronted another demonstration outside the Holiday Inn on Oldham Road before dispersing the crowd, after protesters started throwing beer bottles at officers and members of the public.

The incident also saw a group of men jumping in the path of a bus, smashing its wing mirror and assaulting a passenger, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Aldershot appears to have escaped the violence seen in other parts of the country, but a demonstration there was still met by riot police.

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The developments come after violence erupted in Southport on Tuesday, following a vigil for three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

Police officers in Southport suffered serious injuries when bricks, stones and bottles were thrown, and cars were set alight during violent protests.

The disorder near the town's mosque came after false rumours were circulated online about the suspect.

In an effort to avoid a second night of rioting, Merseyside Police were given extra powers, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, on Wednesday to stop and search people suspected of carrying weapons.

Community Inspector Doug Chadwick said the public was "shocked and disappointed" by the "disgraceful" scenes of rioting, and called on the public to come forward with information about what they had seen.

The unrest comes as a 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murders of the three girls.

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.

Eight other children suffered knife wounds - with five of them in critical condition - while two adults were also critically hurt.

The 17-year-old has been remanded in custody to appear on Thursday, August 1, at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Derby Square.

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