Sir Keir Starmer is holding an emergency meeting with senior police leaders following violent protests in the wake of the Southport stabbings.
The prime minister will offer the government’s full backing to emergency service workers following outbreaks of violence in Southport, London, Hartlepool and Manchester this week.
Sir Keir will meet senior police leaders on Thursday afternoon in Downing Street where he is expected to praise their “bravery” in dealing with both the stabbings incident and the protests.
Sir Keir Starmer laid flowers at the scene of the Southport stabbings attack on Tuesday. Pic: PA
He will say the right to peaceful protest “must be protected at all costs” but will encourage them to use their powers to “stop mindless violence in its tracks and make sure justice is served”.
More than 100 people were arrested in London on Wednesday night as flares were thrown towards Downing Street’s gates, while some threw cans and glass bottles as riot police were deployed.
Demonstrators wearing England flags waved banners saying “Stop the boats” after social media posts wrongly claimed the killing of three young girls in Southport, near Liverpool, was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker.
There were chants of “We want our country back” and “Oh Tommy Robinson”, in reference to the right-wing activist.
One man wore a shirt with the slogan: “Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary.”
Some officers sustained minor injuries and those arrested were detained for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker and breach of protest conditions, the Metropolitan Police said.
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In Hartlepool, eight people were arrested for various offences, with more expected, after protesters threw missiles, glass bottles and eggs at police.
Several officers there sustained minor injuries and a police car was set on fire.
A police car was set on fire during a protest in Hartlepool on Wednesday night. Pic: PA
In Manchester’s Oldham Road, police dispersed a protest after officers and members of the public had beer bottles thrown at them.
A group of men were seen jumping in the path of a bus, smashing its wing mirror and assaulting a passenger, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Aldershot in Hampshire appeared to have escaped the violence but riot police were deployed to a demonstration there.
The protests had started on Tuesday night outside a Southport mosque, where demonstrators attacked officers and set a police van on fire.
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Rioting outside mosque in Southport
Late on Wednesday night, a 17-year-old boy was charged with the murders of three girls in Southport and the attempted murders of 10 others, as well as possession of a knife.
The suspect, who is from the nearby village of Banks and was born in Cardiff, Wales, cannot be named due to his age.
He is appearing at Liverpool City Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died as a result of the attack at The Hart Space community centre.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds, with five still in a critical condition, and two adults are also in a critical condition.