The number of people arrested for the riots instigated by the far right in the United Kingdom continues to rise more than a week after the first incidents. Nearly fifty people will appear before the courts in the next few hours, accused of public disorder and other crimes. This situation has forced the Government to seek additional space in the country’s prisonswhich has been overwhelmed for months, to fulfill its promise to quickly prosecute those involved in the riots that continued on Monday night in cities such as Belfast o Plymouth.
“We will ensure that anyone sentenced to a custodial sentence as a result of rioting and disorder will be given a prison square waiting for him“the Secretary of State for Justice told the BBC, Heidi Alexander. The Executive is also studying the possibility of extending court hours to process detainees as quickly as possible. “We want to get this under control as soon as possible, we cannot continue with what we have been seeing. We have seen openly criminal behaviour, racist attacks, dangerous extremism“and we will not tolerate it in our country,” Alexander added.
The Government has enabled 567 additional places The decision is intended to provide a short-term response to the delicate situation in the prisons, which are at risk of being overcrowded. edge of its capacity for months due, in part, to delays in justice following the pandemic. A situation that the current Labour Government has inherited from the previous Executive and which has forced the release of prisoners with minor offences in recent weeks to ensure the proper functioning of the courts.
New riots
Everything points, however, to the fact that the Government will have to find new solutions to respond to the increasing number of people arrested for the protests. This Monday there were new arrests incidents in the city of Plymouthin the southwest of the country, where anti-immigrant groups have clashed with refugee rights activists. About 150 police officers have deployed a police cordon to prevent clashes between the two groups, but they have not been able to prevent the launching of fireworksbottles and bricks. At least six people have been arrested and several officers have been injured.
Tension has also been rising in Belfastin Northern Ireland, where protesters have clashed with police with petrol bombs. At least one police vehicle has been set on fire by a group of hooded people, while a man is hospitalized in serious condition after being beaten in an attack that authorities are investigating as a Possible hate crimeThe Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has asked people to stay away from areas of the city where violence and public disorder have occurred.
Technology companies
The incidents of the last few days, sparked by the publication of false information about the identity of the man who murdered three girls last Monday in Southport, have reopened the debate on the role of technology companies in the spread of disinformation. The Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kylehas held a meeting with representatives of the main social networks to demand greater cooperation in the Fighting the spread of fake news“I have made it clear that it is unacceptable for people to use social media to cause harm, distress and destruction in our communities,” Kyle said in a statement. “There is a significant amount of content circulating that social media platforms are not allowed to use.” They must deal with it quickly”.
The Executive has even had a confrontation with the owner of the social network X, Elon Muskwho wrote on his personal account that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK. “The use of language like ‘civil war’ is not acceptable in any way. We’re seeing police officers seriously injured, buildings set on fire, and so I think everyone who has a platform should exercise their power.” your power with responsibility“, the Justice Secretary said. Musk has been heavily criticised for restoring the accounts of far-right activists on his social network, including radical Tommy Robinson, and for championing arguments against immigration in the UK.
