The UK has seen a wave a rioting in the past week.Ministers want the tough sentences handed down to people involved in the far-right riots to be a “cold shower of reality” to deter others from taking to the streets.
HuffPost UK has learned that the government drew up a three-point plan in response to the wave of violence which erupted in England and Northern Ireland over the past week and a half.
The riots were sparked by misinformation spread on social media following the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Hundreds who have taken part in the riots have so far been arrested, with some already having appeared in court and been jailed.
They include Derek Drummond, 58, who was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to punching a police officer in face in Southport.
Declan Geiran, 29, was also jailed for 30 months for setting to a police van during a far-right rally in Liverpool city centre on Saturday
A senior minister has told HuffPost UK the government wanted to send out a clear message that anyone taking part in the violence will face justice within days.
The minister said: “There are three points to bear in mind: first, the demonstration of the justice system acting quickly to get these people charged, in the dock and sentenced.
“They need a cold shower of reality to send a warning to those thinking of taking part.”
The senior figure also dismissed as “nonsense” right-wing accusations of “two-tier policing” in the UK, with officers treating white protesters more harshly than those from ethnic minorities.
“There can be no excuses for violence,” he said: “The stuff about two-tier policing puts officers at risk because it gives people an excuse to attack them. This is violent disorder and will be treated as such.
“Thirdly, we want to reach out to the general public and reassure them that the government will confront this, deal with it and protect them.
“A lot of people will be feeling really under threat, but it’s important that people don’t take the law into their own hands. The police are there, protection measures are in place and they will be used.
“Those are the three points that are being made at the Cobra meetings.”
A wave of anticipated far-right violence failed to materialise last night after thousands of people across the UK took part in anti-racism demonstrations.
However, policing minister Diana Johnson today said it was too early to declare the crisis over.
She told LBC: “I’m cautiously welcoming what happened last night, but obviously we need to get through the next few days.
“But what is clear is that message that the police are on our streets keeping communities safe, and the criminal justice system will make sure that people who engage in criminality on our streets will be brought to account.”
