‘People absolutely have the right to protest but not the right to riot’, says government adviser
Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s latest UK politics live blog. I’m Amy and I’ll be bringing you the latest updates today.
John Woodcock, the UK government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, says police should be prepared to step in if it appears troublemakers are travelling to incite riots.
Woodcock, who is a crossbench peer, said disinformation contributed to the unrest which broke out in a number of locations around England after the Southport attack.
He told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme there was a “concerted and coordinated” attempt to spread the violence.
Woodcock said:
Clearly, some of those far-right actors have got a taste for this and are trying to provoke similar in towns and cities across the UK.”
Asked about the best way to prevent the riots, he said protests were sometimes being used as a cover for “violent action”.
He said:
The police should be prepared to step in where they can. Where there is these kinds of gatherings which are just designed to be fanning the flames of violence, [they] should be stopping people gathering.
People absolutely have the right to protest in this country, but they do not have the right to riot.”
Woodcock’s comments come after the prime minister, Keir Starmer, announced a “national capability” will be established to tackle violent disorder and rioters. Starmer also warned social media firms they had a responsibility to clamp down on misinformation.
Police forces have been urged to step up patrols outside mosques and asylum seeker accommodation amid plans for at least 19 far-right rallies across England in coming days.
Violent demonstrations have spread from Southport to London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot after the stabbing at a children’s holiday club on Monday.
I’ve been advised by the moderators that comments will not be open today for reasons of sensitivity, plus the risk of contempt of court now that legal proceedings are active. So, if you want to get in touch then please email me at amy.sedghi@guardian.co.uk.
Key events
Responding to the prime minister’s press conference on far-right violence yesterday afternoon, Amanda Onwuemene, Green party spokesperson for policing and domestic safety, said:
We all have the right to feel safe in our streets, our homes and our places of worship and it’s absolutely right that the prime minister is taking seriously the horrific racist violence we have seen across the country in recent days.
But let’s be clear – this isn’t a problem that we can police our way out of. Instead, we need to look at the root causes of racism, Islamophobia and violence, and tackle radicalisation at its sources using a joined-up approach across public services.
We also need our elected leaders to step up and condemn racism and Islamophobia wherever it rears its ugly head – not just when it flares into rioting – be that in our communities, in the media, or in the Houses of Parliament.”
Home Office minister warns those planning on organising further disorder ‘we will be watching you’
There is potential for more violence in the wake of the Southport attack, a Home Office minister has said, as he warned those planning on organising further disorder “we will be watching you”.
Asked how concerned the government is about the prospect of further disorder on the streets this weekend, David Hanson told LBC Radio:
There is that potential. But I always say to anybody who’s organising this, we will be watching you. If you are organising this now, we will be watching you.
We have powers under existing legislation to stop you organising this now and to take action accordingly, and if you do take action and are not part of any organised group, be prepared to face the full force of the law on this criminal activity.”
Asked whether those involved are from the far right, he said:
Some individuals will have far-right opinions, in my view, some might be caught up in the summer madness. Some might be people who’ve got genuine concerns.
Whatever those concerns are, there are mechanisms where they can raise them with their member of parliament, they can peacefully protest and they can take those issues forward.”
Liverpool city region mayor Steve Rotheram said Nigel Farage was giving “legitimacy” to violent rioters and “excusing them”.
Rotheram told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Friday:
Whilst senior politicians like Farage should be condemning these people – he’s not, he’s excusing them.
He’s giving them some legitimacy to go out and perpetrate some of these acts.”
Former head of counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu said Farage “should think very carefully” about “the power of his words”.
Asked about comments made by the Reform UK leader, Basu told the programme:
That is a far-right politician once again trying to direct policing and law and order. He doesn’t speak for tens of millions of people, the prime minister does – who has to serve the whole population, not just the ones he likes.
And this is not the first time a politician has tried to interfere with operational policing, particularly from that section of politics.”
Basu warned that police forces could be facing a “long, hot summer”.
In case you missed Keir Starmer’s announcement yesterday of a new violent disorder unit, this piece by my colleagues, Vikram Dodd and Aletha Adu, has the details.
Also, as mentioned in the opening post on this blog, police in England have been urged to protect mosques as the far right plans more rallies. Josh Halliday and Neha Gohil have sent the following report:
‘People absolutely have the right to protest but not the right to riot’, says government adviser
Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s latest UK politics live blog. I’m Amy and I’ll be bringing you the latest updates today.
John Woodcock, the UK government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, says police should be prepared to step in if it appears troublemakers are travelling to incite riots.
Woodcock, who is a crossbench peer, said disinformation contributed to the unrest which broke out in a number of locations around England after the Southport attack.
He told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme there was a “concerted and coordinated” attempt to spread the violence.
Woodcock said:
Clearly, some of those far-right actors have got a taste for this and are trying to provoke similar in towns and cities across the UK.”
Asked about the best way to prevent the riots, he said protests were sometimes being used as a cover for “violent action”.
He said:
The police should be prepared to step in where they can. Where there is these kinds of gatherings which are just designed to be fanning the flames of violence, [they] should be stopping people gathering.
People absolutely have the right to protest in this country, but they do not have the right to riot.”
Woodcock’s comments come after the prime minister, Keir Starmer, announced a “national capability” will be established to tackle violent disorder and rioters. Starmer also warned social media firms they had a responsibility to clamp down on misinformation.
Police forces have been urged to step up patrols outside mosques and asylum seeker accommodation amid plans for at least 19 far-right rallies across England in coming days.
Violent demonstrations have spread from Southport to London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot after the stabbing at a children’s holiday club on Monday.
I’ve been advised by the moderators that comments will not be open today for reasons of sensitivity, plus the risk of contempt of court now that legal proceedings are active. So, if you want to get in touch then please email me at amy.sedghi@guardian.co.uk.