UK riots latest: Countries issue 'travel alerts' and safety warnings to citizens over disorder (2024)

In the past week, riots and protests have broken out across the country, with fears the violence could escalate.

The prime minister has branded the rallies "pure violence", not protest, with attacks on mosques and Muslim communities.

Here we zoom out to give you an overview of the areas affected so far.

Aldershot

Wednesday: MP Alex Baker described violence and intimidating behaviour in her community, after objects were hurled outside a hotel housing asylum-seekers and people were subjected to racial abuse.

Belfast

Saturday:Fireworks were thrown as police attempted to deal with a confrontation between anti-racist protesters and an anti-Islamic rally. Rioters burned a cafe, supermarket and a number of cars. Approximately 800 people were involved.

Blackpool

Saturday:Skirmishes broke out between far-right rioters and punks attending the Rebellion festival, with bottles and chairs being thrown and wood wielded. One man was knocked unconscious.

Items were thrown at police vehicles as a police dog tore a flag from two protesters' arms and then tackled a man.

Bolton

Sunday:Rival groups clashed, with fireworks, tiles and bottles thrown in the town centre, with many people wearing balaclavas despite a police order that they be removed.

Bristol

Saturday:A "violent group" brought "unacceptable disorder and violence to the streets of Bristol", police and crime commissioner Clare Moody said.

Police divided a group organised under the social media tags "enough is enough" and "stop the boats", and another group protesting the far-right.

Hartlepool

Wednesday:Police in Hartlepool were attacked with missiles, glass bottles and eggs, Cleveland Police said. A police car was set alight during the violence.

Hull

Saturday:Videos on social media showed shops in Hull city centre looted and on fire. The windows of a hotel which has been used to house migrants was smashed. At least three police officers were injured.

Leeds

Saturday:Around 150 people carrying St George flags shouting "You’re not English any more" were greatly outnumbered in Leeds by hundreds of counter-protesters shouting "Nazi scum off our streets".

Liverpool

Saturday:Merseyside Police said a number of officers were injured during "serious disorder", with one officer being hit on the head by a chair.

Bricks, bottles and a flare were also thrown at officers as they lined The Strand in the city centre, smashing a police van's windscreen.

At one point, a group of men with masks and hoods up appeared to charge police officers, with one kicked and knocked off his motorcycle by a demonstrator.

London

Wednesday:Demonstrators were seen launching beer cans and glass bottles at a line of police in riot gear in front of Downing Street - throwing flares onto the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

Rioters also clashed with officers in Whitehall.

Manchester

Saturday and Sunday: Demonstrators turned out in large numbers outside the Holiday Inn hotel, the Manchester Evening News reported.

Greater Manchester Police said it arrested 19 people over the weekend relating to several alleged offences, including criminal damage and violent disorder.

Middlesbrough

Sunday: A "staggering" surge of violence led to 55 people being arrested, police said.

Rioters smashed the windows of houses and cars and hurled objects at officers, with one seen shouting a racial slur and another telling police: "It's our f****** country."

There was significant damage to the court, the university and a number of other buildings.

Around 300 people gathered in front of a mosque to guard it.

Rotherham

Sunday: Masked rioters launched lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers outside a Holiday Inn Express housing asylum-seekers, before lighting fires, smashing their way inside and destroying a communal area.

Southend-on-Sea

Wednesday: Eight people were arrested and seven weapons seized after violence and disorder on Southend seafront.

Southport

Tuesday: Police officers in Southport suffered serious injuries when bricks, stones and bottles were thrown and cars were set alight during violent protests. 53 officers and three police dogs injured.

Stoke-on-Trent

Saturday: Arrests were made after a protest turned to disorder, with objects thrown and three officers assaulted as they tried to disperse a large crowd.

Sunderland

Friday: Crowds of far-right rioters set fire to a police building and an overturned car. Officers were attacked with fire extinguishers, bricks and other objects.

Tamworth

Sunday: At a Holiday Inn hotel where reports suggested asylum seekers were also being housed, fires were started, windows smashed and missiles thrown at officers, Staffordshire Police said.

Weymouth

Sunday: Two police officers were injured as two groups gathered to protest, one punched in the face, while three men were arrested.

Two groups are preparing a "demonstration" in Plymouth this evening, according to Devon and Cornwall Police.

Glen Mayhew, the force's assistant chief constable, says he is "increasing our presence in the city centre" tonight due to information they have received.

"Residents, visitors, and local businesses can expect to see an increased policing presence in the area as a result of this," he says.

"We are fully prepared to respond to incidents of disorder, and we have the resources in place to deal with these incidents to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the local community."

The force says updates will be put out on social media.

The violent behaviour witnessed across the UK in the past week is "unusual" and "uncommon" even for riots, according to a psychologist specialising in crowd behaviour.

While most riots tend to have a "trigger" moment, this time there is an existing preparedness for violent action among some from the outset, says Dr Chris co*cking, of the University of Brighton.

"A library in Liverpool was attacked and then the firefighters who came to put out the fire were also attacked. That's uncommon in riots."

He speculated: "Perhaps it's because people feel so disenfranchised and alienated from their communities that they are engaging in what is quite clearly very nihilistic behaviour - and trashing resources in that community."

Speaking after the library attack in Liverpool, one woman has described her shock at finding out "how many racist friends I have" as she sent a message of support to anyone targeted by riots:

Hundreds of people have been arrested in response to riots across the country.Dozens are appearing in court today, met with additional prosecutors, as the judiciary attempts to meet Sir Keir Starmer's demand for swift justice.

Home affairs reporter Henry Vaughanis in Liverpool Magistrates' Court, where some of those cases are being heard. Here's his latest report...

A 69-year-old welder has admitted his role in the riots in Liverpool, to which he came armed with a wooden bat.

William Nelson Morgan, 69, from Walton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

The court heard around 100 people set fire to bins, damaged local businesses and set fire to other buildings in County Road, Walton, on Saturday night.

Morgan, who has no previous convictions and is a semi-retired welder, was said to be part of a crowd involved in throwing bricks and had a wooden bat or cosh with him.

District Judge Timothy Boswell remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court on 29 August.

Read more snapshots from court by Henry here:

Several countries have issued safety warnings to their citizens in the UK due to the riots.

Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia have sent out alerts telling people living or visiting the UK to stay away from demonstrations.

The majority of people in all three countries are Muslim. Many of the British riots have included racist and anti-Islamic sentiment, with mosques targeted.

Nigeria's foreign ministry issued a "travel alert" saying there was "an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK" and that "the violence has assumed dangerous proportions".

"Demonstrations by far right and other extra-parliamentary groups in parts of the UK in recent weeks have been large, and in some instances unruly."

Malaysians were "urged to stay away from protest areas" and "remain vigilant". They were "strongly encouraged" people to register with the High Commission of Malaysia in London to "receive timely information and assistance".

The Indonesian embassy in London advised its citizens in the UK to avoid large crowds and increase their vigilance.

By Martin Brunt, crime correspondent

It was petulant, childish even and unnecessary - his route across Whitehall wasn't being impeded by my colleague wielding a microphone and asking a perfectly legitimate question.

Britain's top cop appeared to grab the mic, disconnecting it from its casing and letting it drop to the road.

His protection officer, striding to keep up with Sir Mark, got his jacket flap caught up in what bit of the sound equipment was left in my startled colleague's hand.

You can watch that moment here:

It was a storm in a teacup, but perception is everything.

The commissioner, no doubt like all police chiefs, has been urging his embattled staff to show restraint in the face of bottles, bricks and fire.

And all on a day when politicians were demanding the full force of the law be brought down on the rioters.

So, what might we have here? Assault, criminal damage, misconduct in public office?

The commissioner explained away his behaviour later by saying that he'd been in a hurry but that's mitigation, not a defence.

My colleague has decided not to press charges...

Prioritising riot cases in overstretched courts could risk delaying the prosecution of rapes, a specialist criminal barrister tells Sky News.

The government insists it has the capacity to deal with the influx of cases, but Chris Daw KC says: "The courts are already at breaking point and beyond.

"There is simply no capacity in the criminal courts, hundreds of courts have been closed over the last decade or so."

Prisons are "bursting at the seams" as well, he says. Last month the government said it was having to let people out of prison early because cells were full.

The barrister criticised the "political statements and grand standing - including from the government" promising swifter justice, pointing out that there are already not enough judges, defence lawyers and courtrooms.

'Something else is going to have to give'

Mr Daw says that if the government and the courts decide to prioritise faster prosecutions, then "something else is going to have to give".

He gives rape cases as an example - saying victims are already waiting an average of five years to give evidence at trial.

"And if we put all of these cases to the front of the queue for political reasons and understandable reasons, because people are very, very cross about what's been going on on our streets, the price that will be paid in these other cases already in the system, already often delayed for two, three or four years, will just go back further and further," he says.

"Victims won't get justice in those cases."

Hundreds of people have been arrested during riots across the country.Dozens are appearing in court today, met with additional prosecutors, as the judiciary attempts to meet Sir Keir Starmer's demand for swift justice.

Home affairs reporter Henry Vaughanis in Liverpool Magistrates' Court, where some of those cases are being heard. Here's his latest report...

A 14-year-old boy understands how "foolish and silly he has been" after pleading guilty to violent disorder over the rioting in Liverpool city centre, a court has heard.

The teenager, from Liverpool, was part of a group of eight to 12 males who were lighting fireworks and setting them off in the direction of members of the public and police officers near a branch of B&M in Clayton Square that had already been looted on Saturday night, the court heard.

The teenager, who can't be identified because of his age, was caught on CCTV footage with a firework in his hand but when arrested told officers: "I'm sorry, I wasn't firing them at you."

The court heard he has no previous convictions and has never been in trouble with the police before.

His lawyer, Iqbal Singh Kang, said the incident was "completely out of character for him and his family". The boy's father and uncle were in court.

He said the youngster went to the city centre to catch a bus and amid the "widescale disorder across the city became involved with people he didn't know who were offering out various fireworks".

Mr Kang said the teenager was held in police custody for two days, adding: "Now he's thought it through properly he understands how foolish and silly he has been and wishes he could turn the clock back."

The teenager was granted bail, with a condition he doesn't enter Liverpool city centre, ahead of sentencing on 27 August.

A resident helping to clean up the streets of Rotherham has said the riots made her "sad to be English".

Paris Marshall, 28, watched from her home yesterday as rioters attacked a hotel for asylum seekers, "trashing everything".

"There was no way we were leaving the house yesterday. I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"It makes me sad to be English really, because this is the kind of people that people all over the world are going to see."

Alongside her, Joshua Evers, 31, said violence was never the answer.

"None of this had to happen. It is misinformation. That's what it is."

The response from the police was excellent, he added.

"If it wasn't for the police, I would have felt far more unsafe. They did an absolutely fantastic job."