Keir Starmer says British police should stay 'on high alert' after emergency Cobra meeting
Police in Britain must "remain on high alert", Keir Starmer is believed to have told a Cobra meeting tonight
PA
Police in Britain must "remain on high alert", Keir Starmer has told an emergency Cobra meeting tonight.
It comes amid concerns there could be a new wave of violence this weekend.
Officials were said to be resistant to the idea that there has been a "turning point" in rioting on Britain’s streets.
The Prime Minister thanked the police and wider criminal justice system at his third Cobra meeting since violence broke out last week.
Police in Britain must "remain on high alert", Keir Starmer is believed to have told a Cobra meeting tonightPAHe also said there was no doubt that levels of policing in the right places and swift justice over the past week, including sentencing, have acted as a deterrent to disorder.
Wednesday saw mass unity by anti-racist protesters as thousands of people protected asylum centres and supposed meeting points for riots across the UK.
The extra specialist police officers mobilised have not been stood down.
The home secretary also said the ramped-up police response for potential further riots will continue this weekend.
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Yvette Cooper met with police officers and Deputy Commission Dame Lynne Owens at the Metropolitan Police’s specialist operations room in Lambeth on Thursday.
She said: "We’re going to continue with this strong policing response, making sure that there are additional police officers ready to respond."
After police were braced for disorder on Wednesday that largely failed to materialise, Cooper said that expedited arrests, convictions and sentencing, as well as the thousands of additional officers on the streets, were having an impact.
The fast response from the criminal justice system "does show people that you really will pay the price for these crimes," said Cooper.
Wednesday saw mass unity by anti-racist protesters as thousands of people protected asylum centres and supposed meeting points for riots across the UK
PA
The total number of arrests made relating to violent disorder following the Southport killings now stands at 483, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said.
The policing body also confirmed that at least 149 charges had been brought so far, with the figure set to "continue to rise significantly".
National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman Gavin Stephens said: "Officers and police staff are working flat out to progress investigations, acting on the mountain of intelligence and evidence gathered over the last week to secure convictions."