Violence spreads: Police officers injured in Plymouth and unrest in Belfast
Disorder continues for a seventh day after the Southport stabbings with more than 370 arrests made so far
Police officers have been injured during “sustained violence” in Plymouth as disorder continued for a seventh day after the Southport stabbings, with more than 370 arrests made so far.
Devon and Cornwall police said six arrests were made in Plymouth on Monday after “several officers” suffered minor injuries and two members of the public were taken to hospital.
It came after bricks and fireworks were launched towards officers who had attempted to keep rival demonstrations apart in the Devon port city.
A police van was damaged as masked anti-immigration protesters launched missiles at a counter-demonstration where people held signs saying “No Place for Hate” and “Say No to Nazis”.
A Devon and Cornwall police officer said “large masonry” had been thrown at officers during the unrest.
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Ryan North Moore told Sky News: “This is not a protest any more. In my opinion, this is violence. This is sustained violence.”
Asked how difficult it was to police the protest, he added: “It’s off the scale today. With the resources we’ve got, it’s difficult.”
Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell said officers had shown “very brave, robust policing” as they responded to “abhorrent, mindless criminal behaviour”.
Some 150 officers were deployed in the city centre, and the arrests were for a range of public order offences and assaults, police said.
In Southport, hundreds of people attended a peaceful vigil a week on from the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar.
Children blew bubbles and others left flowers and heart-shaped balloons on Monday evening in remembrance of the victims of the stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.
Merseyside police have since said one child caught up in the incident remained in hospital but all other patients had been discharged.
Elsewhere, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was “dealing with ongoing disorder” in the Donegall Road area of south Belfast, with the BBC reporting riot officers had stones and petrol bombs thrown at them.
Sky News reported on Monday that one of its vans was attacked in Birmingham by a “knife-wielding man”.
The news outlet reported its journalists had observed “a large gathering of Muslim men who said they were preparing to ‘defend’ the street from another rumoured far-right protest in the area.
West Midlands police (WMP) said it was investigating reports of a man who was in possession of an offensive weapon, as well as other incidents and pledged to “work hard to identify and arrest those responsible”.
The force said a large number of people had gathered in the Bordesley area of the city but there were no clashes with members of an opposing group, and despite social media rumours of a far-right protest, it did not take place.
“No arrests have been made at this stage but there were sporadic incidents and we are investigating reports of an assault, incidents of criminal damage to a pub on Stoney Lane, a car which had its windows smashed on Alcombe Grove, Stechford and further criminal damage to a vehicle which had its tyres damaged on Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green,” WMP said.
On Monday, the prime minister said a “standing army” of specialist police officers was being assembled to crack down on rioting, as he called for perpetrators to be named and shamed.
Keir Starmer vowed to “ramp up criminal justice” after an emergency Cobra meeting was called after disorder over the weekend which saw rioters storm hotels housing asylum seekers.
The PA news agency understands the prime minister’s standing army is an expansion of the existing mutual aid scheme, which allows officers to be deployed around the country as needed.
Starmer rejected calls for parliament to be recalled in the face of the rioting.
The prime minister said he was focused on ensuring police can carry out their duties, as MPs from across the political spectrum demanded parliament return from its summer recess.
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