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Minister tells 'far-right' rioters 'we are 'watching you', as fears grow of more disorder this weekend
2 August 2024, 08:45 | Updated: 2 August 2024, 09:06
Home Office minster on Southport protests: 'Some may be caught up in the summer madness'
A minister has warned anyone organising more riots after this week's bout of violent disorder that they are being watched by the authorities.
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Home Office minister Lord Hanson told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that "summer madness" could continue this weekend and in the near future, after the killing of three girls in Southport this Monday.
The government minister said that the people rioting were not all of the far-right, and that some people were simply caught up in the disorder.
Lord Hanson added that the government had no problem with people organising peaceful protests, but that when they veered into violence it became unacceptable.
More protests are expected this weekend, with organisers advertising get-togethers on Telegram for at least eight cities around the UK.
Read more: Boy, 11, arrested on suspicion of arson after police car set ablaze in Hartlepool riot
The Labour peer said: "I always say to anybody who is organising this, we will be watching you. If you are organising this now, we will be watching you.
"We have powers under existing legislation to stop you organising this now and to take action accordingly.
"And if you do take action and are not part of any organised group, be prepared to face the full force of the law on this criminal activity".
Lord Hanson was speaking after over 100 people were arrested on Wednesday and Tuesday, following large scale disorders in Southport, London, Hartlepool and Manchester. Dozens of police officers were injured.
That followed false information spread on social media - possibly by Russian trolls - that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker.
It has now been confirmed publicly that the person accused of killing Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport is a 17-year-old born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents named Axel Rudakubana.
Keir Starmer condemned the rioters on Thursday and announced a new national violent disorder unit to tackle the protests.
Lord Hanson told Nick that police would "retrospectively look at the information from Southport from all the shots and other areas and use facial recognition technology photo evidence and other evidence on an intelligence basis to bring prosecutions."
He added: "We want to also send a signal. So those people who are potentially undertaking conspiracy that they know that we will use intelligence led policing, we will use all the tools available to make sure that we prevent this activity if at all possible.
"And if it does happen, that they need to know they will face the full force of the law.
"This is not about peaceful protests, it's about criminal activity..."
Asked if everyone taking part in the riots subscribed to a far-right ideology, Lord Hanson demurred.
He said: "Some individuals will have far right opinions in my view, some might be caught up in the in the summer madness, some might be people who've got genuine concerns.
"Whatever those concerns are, there are mechanisms where they can raise them with their member of parliament, they can peacefully protest, and they can take those issues forward."
Asked if the protests could continue throughout the rest of summer, he said: "Summer is always a difficult time, it's hot weather. People are out late at night, and those issues are of concern.
"But the key message I want to put to people is simply this if you're thinking of taking action along the lines that happened in Southport this week, do not do it because you will face the full force of the law through the police and through the courts in due course."
"What we have to do is to prevent criminal activity, it is not acceptable for more than 50 police officers to be injured for innocent people's property to be broken, and for intimidation to take place. And if that happens, we will take action on it."
