The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London reported on Thursday that the increased police presence across the UK and the "demonstration of unity" by local communities have prevented the recurrence of large-scale riots that the country has witnessed in recent days, which included racially motivated attacks targeting Muslims and migrants.
Britain has experienced a series of riots following the stabbing deaths of three young girls on July 29 in Southport, northwest England, which sparked a wave of misleading online posts wrongly identifying the suspected killer as a radical Muslim migrant.
Far-right anti-immigration groups planned dozens of marches across the UK on Wednesday. In response, thousands of police and anti-racist demonstrators gathered in cities throughout Britain, with Commissioner Mark Rowley stating that the night passed "with complete calm" except for some criminal incidents.
Rowley told reporters, "I believe that the show of force by the police, and frankly, the demonstration of unity from local communities, has defeated the challenges we have seen." Anti-racist demonstrators organized marches holding signs with slogans such as "Welcome Refugees" and "No to Hate," and there were no reports of any large marches from the far-right, only smaller groups of demonstrators.
Police reported that dozens threw bottles and attempted to cause chaos in the town of Croydon in south England, while garbage bins were set on fire in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Authorities stated they have dealt with several racially-related hate incidents.
Rowley added that police continued to carry out raids and arrest violent offenders on Thursday morning, many of whom have criminal records. Over 400 people have been arrested across the country since the rioting began.
Rowley stated, "Any suggestion that they are patriots, or that they are defending some cause... is nonsense. They are criminals, and frankly, most of them will be charged with participating in violent disturbances, and most will end up in prison for several years."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously served as Attorney General and now faces an early crisis following his victory in the July 4 elections, warned rioters that they would face long prison sentences.
Security Minister Diana Johnson stated on Thursday that she continues to approach the situation with caution. Johnson added to Sky News, "There are consequences for committing crimes on our streets, and I think the swift justice we see also helps make people think twice before getting involved."
