Police mobilise THOUSANDS of riot officers as they brace for violence targeting 30 immigration centres in just hours

Police have vowed to be prepared, but senior sources have admitted the "outlook is bad"

PA
James Saunders

By James Saunders


Published: 07/08/2024

- 07:44

Updated: 07/08/2024

- 13:13

Riot vans packed with specialist officers are set to line the country's motorways for rapid response across the UK

Over 6,000 riot police were put on standby overnight ahead of planned protests at dozens of immigration centres across the country today.

Fears of further anti-immigration violence had been raised after messages calling for protests at visa centres and legal clinics began circulating on social media - with police sources admitting the "outlook is bad".


Sir Keir Starmer, who has branded violent demonstrators "far-right thugs", warned would-be rioters that officers will be taking "all necessary action" to combat the threats - with more than 2,000 of those mobilised overnight earmarked for quick deployment to support regional and local forces.

Police have vowed to be prepared for the co-ordinated protests - despite their comments about the "outlook", senior sources have insisted they are "ready to respond" to the impending threats, with riot vans packed with specialist officers set to line the country's motorways for rapid responses.

Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer again threatened rioters would "feel the full force of the law"

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Police vans in Southport

Police vans like these in Southport will be stationed by motorways across the UK

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The exhaustive list of targets across the country has named immigration centres from the south coast to the north east - but authorities have warned against protesting at certain locations after it emerged one was home to a vulnerable elderly person and had "no links whatsoever to any immigration business".

After the list came to light, Nottinghamshire Police swiftly issued an advisory notice to potential protesters, which told would-be rioters to "refrain from doing so as this is an elderly person's home address".

The mass police rollout followed another Cobra meeting between the PM and police chiefs yesterday - after which Starmer again threatened rioters would "feel the full force of the law".

And with rapid 2011 London riots-style court dates already underway, Starmer said he was "now expecting substantive sentencing before the end of this week".

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Police and protester

Police are bracing for further chaos across the land

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The PM added: "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 should be involving themselves in this disorder."

While his successor as Director of Public Prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, has threatened that the CPS would weigh up charging some of the rioters with terrorism offences.

Parkinson said: "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 ideology... Planning really, really serious disruption then yes, we will consider terrorism offences."

Yvette Cooper

Yvette Cooper has threatened that "criminals" should "expect to pay the price"

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With the country and its police bracing for further disorder on Wednesday, London's Metropolitan Police have threatened to come down on protesters with "every power, tactic and tool" to stave off "one of the worst spates of violent disorder in the last decade".

Andy Valentine, who leads the capital's policing operation, condemned "racist, thuggish and criminal behaviour across the country".

Valentine continued: "We arrested more than 100 people in central London disorder last week - and we will not hesitate to arrest hundreds more if they take to the streets intent on fuelling violence."

While Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has threatened that "criminals" should "expect to pay the price" - and the Government has pledged to fund the cost of any and all police resources drafted in to deal with protesters.

\u200bSadiq Khan

Sadiq Khan vowed that "those who seek to divide our communities will never win"

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Speaking out on the "far-right" threats to a number of immigration services in London, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan warned that "anyone thinking of spreading hatred and fear" in the capital would "face the full force of the law".

Khan continued: "I know the shocking scenes have left many Muslims and minority ethnic communities scared and fearful, so I ask my fellow Londoners to check on their friends and neighbours and show them that care and compassion is what Londoners are all about."

The mayor added that his city had "zero tolerance" for "any form of hate" - and vowed that "those who seek to divide our communities will never win".

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