The government has said a ramped-up police presence will continue this weekend, with the English Football League resuming matches on Friday evening and further disorder anticipated following the riots which have swept the UK.
A minister urged those thinking of joining in the counter-demonstrations to also stay at home, saying they are placing a strain on police resources, with a total of 36 EFL matches scheduled across the weekend.
‘Strong Police Presence’
Asked by the BBC if a “standing army” of 16,000 police officers would remain in the capital over the weekend, she said, “We’re going to continue with this strong policing response, making sure that there are additional police officers ready to respond.”Police were braced for disorder on Wednesday after false posts were spread on social media claiming anti-immigration protests were planned in several towns and cities. In response, a large number of counter-protests were mobilised to these areas as well as a heavy police presence.
Woman Arrested for Sharing ‘Fake News’
Cooper said that police are still scouring CCTV evidence, using facial recognition technology to try to identify the culprits of violence, many of whom are being flagged for having previous convictions.The home secretary added that prosecutors would also continue to pursue those deemed to be promoting disorder online as well as those who committed criminal acts.
Police confirmed they arrested a 55-year-old woman from Cheshire for sharing a viral post on social media platform X, which falsely claimed the alleged murderer of three little girls in Southport was an illegal immigrant who had entered the UK on a boat, and gave a fake Arabic name.
Police later charged teenager Axel Rudakubana, a British citizen born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder in the July 29 attack.
Asked about Cooper reportedly having told Labour MPs not to promote any counter-demonstrations, Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds said it was important to make a “distinction” between “violent thuggery” and peaceful protesting.
“But I think what the home secretary is entirely right about, [is the strain police officers] are under, the hours that they are working. I certainly don’t think it helps politicians encouraging even more people out on our streets,” he said.
Behaviour which is “violent” or “thuggish” could see football fans go through the criminal justice system “quickly,” Thomas-Symonds suggested.
Asked about fears “far-right groups could seek to exploit” the matches, Thomas-Symonds told Sky News: “Going into this weekend, it’s important that the message continues to go out that if you engage in violent, thuggish behaviour on our streets, you’re going to be dealt with quickly by the criminal justice system.
“We’ve already seen sentences of up to three years handed down, people now facing the inside of a prison cell because of the appalling way in which they’ve conducted themselves in recent days.
“But also we’ll continue to make those additional officers available and where there are communities with particular fears, I was in Bristol yesterday talking to Muslim community leaders, we will make sure that we make protection available to those communities as well.”
At a counter-protest on Wednesday, Labour councillor Ricky Jones was arrested for incitement to murder after calling for people taking part in the anti-immigration riots to have their “throats slit.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told journalists on Friday he had already spoken with police about their plans for the weekend as well as holding three emergency COBRA meetings since the disorder broke out ten days ago.
‘Swift Justice’
Starmer, an Arsenal season ticket holder, has spoken about how football can bring people together, continued: “Yes, football is added into the mix, there are other things in the mix, but our focus has to be solely on the safety and security of our communities, and that’s exactly where it is.”He added that he was convinced that the high police presence and “swift justice” over the past few days would have had a “real impact” in deterring those thinking of joining the rioting.
“But we have to stay on high alert going into this weekend because we have to make sure that our communities are safe and secure and feel safe and secure.”
More than 480 people had been arrested in connection with disorder throughout England by Thursday afternoon, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and some have received prison sentences.
The EFL games begin this evening, with two matches in Lancashire towns just ten miles apart.
Blackburn Rovers will take on Derby County while Preston North End will play Sheffield United, both with 8 p.m. kick-offs.
Saturday fixtures begin at 12:30 p.m. with Championship games taking part in towns and cities across the country, including London, Cardiff, Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Stoke-on-Trent.
