Keir Starmer has announced plans to establish a “standing army” of specialist police officers to deal with riots and unrest in response to recent violence across multiple cities in England. This comes after over 400 people were arrested following anti-immigrant and far-right protests sparked by the killing of three young girls in Southport. False claims online led to violence targeting mosques and Muslim communities.
The riots, which have resulted in broken bones and concussion among police officers, have caused many in the NHS’s multi-cultural workforce to feel afraid and unwelcome. Chief executive of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, spoke out against incidents of staff being targeted due to their ethnic background. The Royal College of Nursing has called for those who target NHS nurses to face heavy penalties.
Meanwhile, Downing Street has criticized comments made by Elon Musk, who claimed that civil war is inevitable in response to the riots. Starmer’s spokesperson condemned the violence as organized thuggery that does not represent Britain. The prime minister has vowed to crack down on those inciting violence online.
The riots have spread across various cities and towns, with individuals facing prosecution for encouraging disorder online, even if they were not physically present during the violence. A suspect has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder in relation to the initial incident in Southport. The government is taking swift action to ensure that those responsible for the violence face the full force of the law.
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