Keir Starmer announces crackdown on far-right following Southport riots

Keir Starmer announces government plans with police forces to collaborate more in intelligence sharing to crack down on far-right riots taking place like seen in Southport this week.

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[billybobthornton]

Just to clarify for the 'whatabout x, y, z' brigade...yes, if someone riots and breaks the law then they should be arrested. If a particular group is organising that sort of crime then they should also be arrested. If someone is protesting peacefully then that's legal...simple 😊

[gordonstrong]

The Southport rioters also ripped open the steel shutters of the local shop and stole all the smokes and booze.
Such heartbreaking and moving expressions of grief 😅

[badfairy]

Rioters keeping traumatized Children a wake and full of fear after they have lost their friends.

[Sebastian-pcqf]

It's not governerning, it's crime?

[Big-Chungus]

The people of Southport would have never wanted these riots, because it was the wrong response assumed by people who never cared about them in the first place. When the mosque was attacked, the local community helped rebuild it. This included white, black, muslim and christians, all coming together to help rebuild their community. Because outside of it, people only see the differences between people that were never the parts that mattered in the first place.

When a Muslim is involved in violent crime, its a terrorist attack and religiously motivated. When a white person or Christian attacks someone, it’s a murder, and a tragedy. Any issue involving Muslims, Jews, Black People according to the Far-Right is instantly an issue related to their ethnicity.

[maf]

We need to end the ignorance, the hate and the idea that these are 'patriots'.

[davidfoster]

Two tier policing the police ran away from the rioters in Leeds.

[derekmab]

Social media that allow crime need to be prosecuted.

[thomasandrewclifford]

As long as this doesn't also move into further crack downs on legitimate protest, I'm all for it. However, Labour has done nothing to roll back that precedent set by the Tories so I'm still skeptical.

[azillliasmith]

Comments being deleted but only those not supporting starmer....

[zenco]

As a dad, I'm grateful as fuck for this announcement.

[gatekeeperboxing]

Football hooliganism is wrong, nobody should be beaten for supporting another team. Rioting, looting, and property destruction is wrong, this needs to be stamped out. Intimidation, threats of violence and interference with Politicians and their election campaigns is also wrong. We are meant to be a free democratic country and all of these behaviours are not acceptable no matter what. Violence or the threat of violence by members of the public on others is not acceptable no matter what your cause.

[blackbeard]

What Starmer has just done can only be described as authoritarian and institutionally racist. He is cracking down on genuinely concerned citizens who can see clear instances of two-tier policing happening all around them. How anyone can support this knee-jerk reaction and the creation of a new dystopian police unit is beyond me.

[whatwentwrong]

Well said Kier. Hope they actually start fighting these thugs instead of appeasing their utter bilge.

[PoshBertie]

Just shut down social media and let's go back to 1997

[realnoscope]

God bless this man, and I'm glad this channel stands for what's right and not the FAR right.

[yzolakitchi]

Just heart-breaking that a community dealing with such loss, then has to endure mob violence. For anyone who hasn't seen it, GBH was a 1991 drama mini series dealing with political violence. It's still available to stream on Channel 4 and for anyone wondering about the complexities of these issues, it is well worth a watch. Very thought provoking and excellently written. Sadly, the violent gangs, hatred and racism depicted in the series are clearly ever present and sadly, seemingly on the rise. Our democracy is precious, and demands space for the public, journalists and artists to challenge elected leaders, but there is no place for violence and outright crime. I remain hopeful that a clear demarcation in the acceptable support of legitimate, peaceful protests will be made in any new policing strategies.

[magravy]

They should start with the people at the top and not allow them to twist the narrative.

[avs]

Hateful behaviour, my heart goes out to those trying to grieve whilst these thugs desecrate the memory of those innocent lives.

[alexfletcher]

Whatever my doubts about this man, he has said the good thing here. Whether it's followed up is - as it always will be in politics - debatable. But we can only hope.