01 August 2024 , 14:00
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Keir Starmer will address the nation at 4pm after gathering police chiefs in Downing Street after a second night of violence in the wake of the Southport tragedy
Keir Starmer will give a No10 press conference today after summoning police chiefs for emergency talks on the violent protests in the wake of the Southport knife attack.
The Prime Minister is holding talks with senior officers in Downing Street following a second night of violence on England’s streets. Unrest flared in London, Hartlepool and Manchester on Wednesday night, while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.
Mr Starmer is expected to speak at around 4pm following his meeting with police chiefs.
More than 100 people were arrested in London after protesters in Whitehall pelted police with beer cans and glass bottles, and threw flares at the Winston Churchill statue in nearby Parliament Square. Demonstrators wearing England flags and waving banners saying "enough is enough" and "stop the boats" gathered outside Downing Street amid swirling misinformation online about the Southport tragedy.
Politicians have voiced their concerns about the violence. Hartlepool’s Labour MP Jonathan Brash said he was "appalled" by the disorder in the town on Wednesday night. He said: "Businesses had their windows smashed, cars burnt out, this behaviour doesn’t represent the Hartlepool people.
"I know people will wake up and be absolutely appalled by what they see on social media and elsewhere. The police have done a fantastic job, I will speak again to them today about what we do going forward to ensure that this won’t happen again."
In Aldershot, local MP Alex Baker took to social media to rebuke violence in her community, stating that there is "no justification for disorderly behaviour and the scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough".
"This incident was exacerbated by people from outside our community who came here determined to cause unrest," she said. "I would like to pay tribute to the brave police officers who worked hard to restore order.
"There is no justification for disorderly behaviour and the scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough. We all support our shared right to peacefully protest, but we will not stand for people coming into our towns determined to stir up trouble and divide our community."
The Met Police arrested 111 people in London for alleged offences including violent disorder, assaults on police officers, possession of knives and offensive weapons and breach of protest conditions. "One of our colleagues was punched in the chest and another kicked multiple times," Scotland Yard said.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there is "no place for criminality on our streets" as he described scenes in the capital as "completely unacceptable".
Pledging his full support for the Metropolitan Police to take action against those "intent on violence, causing disorder and spreading division in our city", he added: "At this time of rising tensions, we all have a responsibility to pull together and reject hateful narratives, and ensure our towns and cities are safe and welcoming for everyone.
"In London, our diversity is our greatest strength and we will always stand united against those spreading hate and division."
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Bebe King, six, were fatally stabbed on Monday at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.