UK riots live: Elon Musk clashes with Starmer over ‘civil war’ tweets as riot violence continues across UK – UK Times

Justice minister Heidi Alexander said the Government has revealed more detail about the planned “standing army” of police officers Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday afternoon.

Ms Alexander told Times Radio: “These are police officers who have had specialist training in dealing with public order offences.

“We had 4,000 available at the weekend. There will be another 2,000 available this week. It also means that police officers are able to be deployed in parts of the country where they are needed most.”

Aneeqa told BBC Radio 4 that thugs tried to get inside, were using racist slurs and jumped on top of her family car.

The 17-year-old added that her younger siblings were asking if they were going to die.

Almost 400 people have been arrested over the mob violence spreading across the UK following the deaths of three children in a stabbing attack in Southport last week.

Rioting followed the spread of false claims online that the suspect, identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana from Lancashire, was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

A man has been charged with intending to stir up racial hatred relating to alleged posts on Facebook, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Nick Price, director of legal services, said: “We have authorised West Yorkshire Police to charge Jordan Parlour, 28, with using threatening words or behaviour intending to stir up racial hatred.

“The charge relates to alleged Facebook posts between 1 August and 5 August in connection with the violent public disorder across the UK.

“It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

He will appear at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Cleveland Police said 28 people will appear at Teesside Magistrates Court on Tuesday August 6 charged with violent disorder and other offences following disorder in Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The force said the court has set aside a remand court to deal with those appearing on Tuesday.

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment with intent to cause fear and violence after a social media post encouraging members of the public to protest outside a hotel, Cheshire Police said.

A force spokesman said officers received reports on Sunday of a post on Snapchat encouraging people to attend a protest outside a Cheshire hotel, which it falsely stated was home to a number of asylum seekers.

The post did not result in disorder, the force said.

A 32-year-old man and 34-year-old woman, from Chester, were arrested on Monday and later released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

Chief Superintendent Jonathan Betts said: “As these arrests demonstrate, inciting violence online will not be tolerated in Cheshire and we will take robust action against all those involved in such activity.

“These messages have been posted in order to cause hate and disorder in our communities. Anyone who is found to be encouraging such offences, be that online or in person, will be dealt with.”

The owner of Holiday Inn has called for calm to be restored after rioters attacked several of its UK hotels housing asylum seekers over the weekend.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) said on Tuesday: “This is a troubling and challenging situation, and we hope for calm to be restored as soon as possible.

“The safety and security of our colleagues and anyone staying in our hotels is always our priority.

“We continue to work closely with the authorities at a small number of properties, and the Home Office are in the best position to answer further questions.”

At least 10 police officers were injured, with one left unconscious, after a mob tried to storm a Holiday Inn Express hotel in Rotherham.

Hotel employees and residents, some of whom are asylum seekers, were “terrified”, but no injuries were reported, police said.

A similar incident played out at a Holiday Inn hotel in Tamworth on Sunday evening, where reports suggested asylum seekers were also being housed, in a scene which saw fires, smashed windows and missiles being thrown at officers, Staffordshire Police said.

Staffordshire Police are asking for help identifying those who struck a police dog with a brick and injured six officers during violent disorder in Tamworth and Stoke-on-Trent at the weekend.

Police dog Vixen was left with a gash above her right eye after she was attacked with a brick and is recovering at home after receiving medical treatment, the force said.

Six officers were also assaulted during the incidents across both towns at the weekend, although none of the injuries were serious.

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison said he believes there is video footage of the assault on Vixen on social media and urged anyone with information to come forward.

He said: “Police dogs are considered just as important as their human counterparts and so we are launching a full investigation to identify who assaulted a valued police dog. We believe there is footage of the incident circulating on social media, so if anyone can share the footage or help us identify those involved, we can seek justice for our canine colleague.

“The violence seen in Tamworth has been abhorrent, with two other police dogs injured too, and I know members of the public will be disgusted that a beautiful animal like Vixen has been harmed whilst trying to keep people safe.”

Two more people – including a 15-year-old boy – have been charged with violent disorder after unrest in Merseyside last week.

Dylan Carey, 26, of Castle Hill Road in Hindley, Greater Manchester, is listed to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court charged with violent disorder on St Luke’s Road in Southport last Tuesday.

A 15-year-old boy from Liverpool is due to appear charged with violent disorder on Paradise Street in Liverpool city centre on Saturday.

Eight people have been charged in connection with disturbances that broke out during protests in Nottingham city centre at the weekend.

Nottinghamshire Police arrested 15 people at a protest in the city’s Old Market Square on Saturday, with one woman and seven men aged between 18 and 46 now charged with a variety of crimes, including public order, weapon offences and assaulting an emergency worker.

Three people have been released with no further action while investigations continue on others, the force said on Tuesday.

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: “The vast majority of the public who attended carried out their right to protest in a peaceful manner. Those who were intent on causing problems were dealt with robustly.

“It should be repeated that anyone who comes into the city or our neighbourhoods over the coming days to cause any kind of disorder can expect a robust response from us.

“It simply won’t be tolerated.”

Multiple petrol bombs and bricks were thrown at police in Belfast as further far-right violence descended on towns across the country on Monday night.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said rioters poured petrol and set a police Land Rover alight as one man is in serious condition after being attacked in a suspected hate crime.

Police were injured during “sustained violence” in Plymouth where a police riot van was damaged as fireworks were let off.

Violence also unfolded in Darlington, where Durham Police said one person has been arrested after bricks were thrown at police during violent disorder.