Law Enforcement Prepare for Anticipated Protests Against Immigration Legislation Experts
A list of solicitor firms specializing in immigration law has reportedly been circulated online by ‘far-right’ groups, according to police.
Police are bracing for planned unrest on Wednesday as they monitor plans for at least 30 reported possible gatherings against immigration law specialists across the UK.
A list of law firms and advice agencies has reportedly been shared in chat groups, inviting people to “mask up” if they attend.
Tell Mama, a group monitoring Islamophobia in the UK, said it alerted police and counter-terrorism officials to what they have termed “far-right threats.”
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said threats against solicitors are “unacceptable” and those making them will “join the hundreds of others who have already been arrested by police within the last week.”
The Law Society of England and Wales described the gatherings as a “direct assault on our legal profession.”
Staff at some of those businesses told the PA news agency they have been advised to work from home on Wednesday, and that police and fire officers had visited their premises to check security arrangements.
Companies also said they had removed their addresses from their websites as a precaution against potential targeted violence.
Despite police in Liverpool and Durham issuing dispersal orders to head off potential unrest, Tuesday night was quiet compared to previous evenings across England and Northern Ireland.
Around 100 people have already been charged in connection with the unrest, and charges continued to flow in on Tuesday, with defendants expected in court on Wednesday.
Overnight, two men, both 38, were charged with violent disorder in connection with disturbances in Southport and Liverpool.
Across the Irish Sea, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said they are investigating several racially motivated hate crimes in Belfast on Tuesday evening, including an attack on a young boy by a group of youths.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the “robust and swift response” of the criminal justice system, adding that he expects the sentencing of some of those involved to take place by the end of the week.
Speaking to reporters after his second COBRA meeting in two days, he said: “That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week.
“Nobody, but nobody, should be involved themselves in this disorder.”
He sought to reassure communities, pledging to keep people safe, while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told chief constables the Government will provide support with overtime pay and other resources needed by police forces.
Two-Tier Policing
However, the Government has faced criticism that police had handled the disorder more harshly than if it had involved members of ethnic minorities with allegations of “two-tier policing.”
Starmer has rejected the claims, and the prime minister told reporters his focus is on “ensuring that our communities are safe.”
Approximately 6,000 specialist officers will be at the ready by the end of the week for the so-called “standing army” of police announced by Starmer on Monday.
These officers have been taken away from regular duties to deal with ongoing disorder.
In addition to more riot police being put on stand-by, forces are also stepping up neighborhood policing patrols, teams of detectives are drawing on CCTV, body-worn footage and making use of retrospective facial recognition to identify perpetrators of violence, and intelligence teams are monitoring well-known influencers and organizers for activity.
More than 400 people have been arrested after disorder around England and Northern Ireland, according to police sources, with the number expected to rise in the coming days.
Cooper said: “Criminals should expect to pay the price for violent thuggery and disorder on our streets. Keyboard warriors also cannot hide, as criminal organization and incitement online will be liable for prosecution and strong penalties too.”
PA Media contributed to this report.
