Chris Blackhurst: Keir Starmer must bring far-right agitators to heel over race riots
The UK is on a knife edge as it braces for as many as 100 far-right riots across the country on Wednesday night, following days of disorder.
Immigration lawyers and refugee support groups are closing their doors after messages called for protests outside their offices, while there are further demonstrations planned for this weekend, including outside a football match.
Business in areas including Finchley and Walthamstow in London, and further north in Northampton, have boarded up their premises in preparation for the protests, which are expected to take place in dozens of cities on Wednesday night.
Police are said to be preparing to respond to more than 100 planned events and potentially about 30 more counter protests on Wednesday, with gatherings anticipated in 41 of the 43 police force areas in England and Wales.
A police source said: "Today is probably going to be the busiest day of the week, into the evening.
"Tonight, we think it's looking like a credible picture. We are preparing for activity across 41 forces."
Britain prepares for further riots - in pictures
Resources are being shared around the country as forces respond to intelligence, with the Metropolitan Police understood to be sending some officers to Manchester while others in the south east are also travelling to support colleagues in north east and north west forces.
Immigration centres and lawyers' offices are anticipated to be the main focus for the gatherings but officers could also be sent to hotels housing asylum seekers if intelligence establishes they face credible threats.
In some areas, Muslims have been forced to stand outside some mosques and Muslim women have been scared to leave the house wearing a hijab.
The nation has suffered a week of terror in which mosques have been attacked, police injured and buildings and cars burnt.
More than 400 arrests have been made, 140 people charged and dozens already behind bars after appearing in court.
On Wednesday, Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, became the first person to receive a substantial prison sentence for taking part in the violence. He was sentenced to three years in jail after pleading guilty to charges of violent disorder and assaulting a police officer, who was left with injuries, during unrest in Southport on July 30.
The riots began last week after the murder of three young girls in Southport. The man accused of the attack was wrongly identified on social media as a Muslim asylum seeker.
The unrest shows no sign of abating, leaving areas that have so far not been affected nervous that they could be next.
The names and addresses of 38 law firms and asylum seeker services have been posted on a Telegram channel, which The National has seen, along with a call for people to “mask up” and gather there at 8pm on Wednesday.
The president of the Law Society, Nick Emmerson, told The National that the “dangerous” language of politicians has led to the threats.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman last year promised to take action against “crooked immigration lawyers”, while her predecessor Priti Patel said that “left lawyers” working for asylum seekers were “defending the indefensible”.
“This has been especially bad in relation to immigration and asylum law," Mr Emmerson said.
"A law firm suffered a knife attack and other solicitors had to seek police protection.
“It has created a dangerous space where this language is still seen as acceptable."
Among the refugee support groups listed is Asylum Link Merseyside, which has now said it is closing its building and will switch to remote working to continue to help refugees.
“We are aware of the threats of far-right violence made towards our centre this week,” said the group in a Facebook post.
“The senseless destruction seen over the weekend is exactly that: senseless.
“Here at Asylum Link, we see every day the incredible contributions made by people seeking sanctuary in the UK.”
One refugee legal advice charity in east London, which asked for its name to be withheld, told The National it is taking precautions despite not being named on the list.
“We’ve heard rumours of protests and attacks this Wednesday at migrant organisations and legal advice charities, both of which we fall under, so we’ve put some precautions in place in case these go ahead,” said a representative.
“We’ve closed our drop-in centre, which usually runs once a week, rescheduled most in-person appointments with clients and we’re closing our main office on Wednesday.”
Labour MP Sarah Sackman said she was aware that a service helping immigrants in her North London constituency had been included on the list of targets for far-right groups, which she called “disgusting”.
Ms Sackman said police have been informed and have a plan to deal with any disorder. She called on her constituents to “remain calm and vigilant”.
“Our hope will conquer their hate. Those who perpetuate violence and hate will face the full force of the law."
The Met Police's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said the force will "do everything in our power" to protect the capital.
“We know about the events planned by hateful and divisive groups across the capital tomorrow night," Mr Valentine said.
"They’ve made their intention to cause disruption and division very clear. We will not tolerate this on our streets.
"We will use every power, tactic and tool available to prevent further scenes of disorder."
Businesses in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were bracing for a weekend of misery after online posts claimed a protest would take place on Saturday near a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Three local stores The National spoke to said they would be closing.
It comes just a day after shops and a shopping centre in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and Stockton, in the north-east, were placed on lockdown amid fears of violence.
Rumours of attacks have already seen Muslims take to the streets to defend their neighbourhoods, with one MP warning of "half truths" circulating online.
"I'm scared to open," said one business owner, Mohammad Azar Nazir.
"There is a protest on August 10 in Wakefield and I won't be opening my shop.
"I pray nothing bad happens in Wakefield and I also feel bad for what the police are going through.
"Let's all hope and pray it all gets better soon."
Neighbouring convenience stores echoed those sentiments and said they were afraid to open after watching the violent scenes from other areas.
All local mosques had been sent warnings and guides on how to stay safe.
But a local business leader told The National that the police had reassured them the protest was planned for a hotel housing asylum seekers and events in the city will go ahead, but with extra security.
On Saturday, protests are also planned for Newcastle next to the football stadium, where Newcastle United face Stade Brestois in the Sela Cup at St James’ Park.
"Lists of future planned ‘protests’ by the far right have circulated on social media, with one at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle earmarked for next Saturday," NUFC Blog said.
"This has caused concern not only due to the potential for the unrest witnessed elsewhere to be repeated in our city, but also with the Sela Cup double-header.
"Whilst Friday night’s friendly against Girona does not appear to be in doubt, some have questioned whether the games on Saturday should go ahead given the proximity of St James’ Park to the rumoured protests expected that day.
"In light of this, there’s been calls for Newcastle to act if any fan or season-ticket holder is found to be engaging in any social disorder over the weekend, with some talk of bans being handed out to any offenders."
Far-right riots in the UK - in pictures
Businesses in other parts of the UK are also preparing for the coming days as they fear more far-right protests.
One mob attacked Jehan Kaddachi's restaurant in Belfast on Saturday and she fears it will be hit again as more riots are planned.
Speaking to The National from inside her restaurant, Ms Kaddachi, 42, a Tunisian mother of three who moved to Belfast from Greece 12 years ago with her Syrian husband, said an anti-immigrant mob had smashed the windows of her business and set fire to Muslim-owned stores along the street.
She has already repeatedly reported a Facebook page about a planned event on Friday because of anti-Muslim abuse she has seen on it.
Ms Kaddachi believes it will be the largest rally yet and that far-right agitators from Dublin are being bussed to Belfast for it.
Local police said they were locking down several areas in Belfast to try to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes from Saturday.
Businesses will close and police are talking with the Belfast Islamic Centre about how it will hold Friday prayers.
“We can’t have people just not working and not praying,” Ms Kaddachi said.
Mohammed Idris’s cafe was one of several Muslim-owned businesses attacked and set ablaze by far-right extremists at the weekend. He said the attackers called his name as they smashed his windows.
After his computer store nearby was attacked last year, Mr Idris told The National that he would not reopen Bash Cafe, which he says was supposed to be a symbol of hope in the community, and that he will move his computer business to another location in Belfast.
Muslim women have also expressed fear about wearing a hijab in public.
Ms Kaddachi says they are very worried to leave their homes for fear of being attacked.
A fundraising effort to help pay for the damage reached more than £115,000 ($146,000) within days.
Organiser Stephen Montgomery says several businesses will now be helped.
“Our biggest donation has been £3,000 which is jaw-droppingly crazy," Mr Montgomery said.
"However, we also have had other donations from other companies, such as donating things like work shelves for the shops and things like that.”
Meanwhile, a leading Labour MP has told The National that the British government has been “lumbered with a very difficult inheritance” with the sudden outbreaks of riots across the country.
Anti-immigration sentiments had grown during the Conservatives' 14 years in power with the problem largely ignored, said Afzal Khan.
“The government has been doing its level best in very trying circumstances where it has had to tackle a very difficult inheritance, in the sense that these things that have been brewing up," Mr Khan said.
"These are issues that Tories had been ignoring or have at times been peddling themselves, and now the new Labour government has to deal with that.”
He said there was a considerable amount of fear among the Muslim community, with “half-truths” published online.
“This far-right Islamophobia stuff peddling around is frightening for them, so there is the genuine fear in the community and the fear has its own momentum,” Mr Khan said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised communities on Tuesday that they will be kept safe as the country braced for an eighth night of violence.
Mr Starmer chaired a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee on Tuesday evening, the second in two days, to co-ordinate a response to the continuing unrest on Britain’s streets.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure that where a police response is needed, it’s in place," he told reporters after the meeting.
“Obviously it’s a difficult situation with disorder going on in a number of different places at the same time.
"But that is precisely why I held my second Cobra meeting today to co-ordinate the response and to get the assurance that I want and need, that we do have adequate police in place, that we are able to cope with this disorder.”
