SHAMELESS looters have been caught setting a shoe shop on fire and pillaging goods in broad daylight raids.
Sir Keir Starmer today hit out at thugs wreaking havoc across Britain, saying violence would not be “tolerated” and the full force of the law will come down on the perpetrators.
The Prime Minister’s warning comes as more than 420 people have been arrested after social media lies whipped up riots across the UK.
Video footage taken in Hull shows a Shoezone shop ablaze, with black smoke billowing from inside the premises.
Further footage from the city also shows a man running out of an o2 store holding a box – while someone in the background smashes the phones on display.
In Manchester, video shows a crowd gathered outside a Sainsbury’s supermarket, with someone exiting the shop seen holding several bottles of white wine – with the security tags still on.
It comes as:
High street retailer Lush said its staff were “devastated” after the company’s branch in Hull was targeted by looters amid a wave of rioting and violence over the weekend.
The store was left with smashed front windows and products littered outside the front door after the fifth day of unrest on Saturday.
A spokesperson for Lush said: “We are devastated at what has happened to our beautiful shop in Hull and how our fellow retailers have also been treated.
“We are proud to be part of a multi-racial Britain and to be part of the wonderful, vibrant and diverse community of Hull.
“Our wonderful shop manager and team have worked tirelessly to get the shop ready to start trading again.
“I want to thank those that came to help with the clean-up, from contractors repairing our windows and doors, the cleaning team that worked through the night, to the community of Hull who have shared their well-wishes to our team.
“As soon as we’re ready, we’re looking forward to opening our doors so that we can once again be a welcoming and safe space for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the owner of Holiday Inn issued a brief response after rioters smashed windows and started fires at several of its hotels housing asylum seekers on Sunday.
Intercontinental Hotels Group, which owns Holiday Inn, said: “The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is always our priority. Any further questions should be directed to the Home Office.”
Speaking after today's Cobra meeting, the PM said:
There have been hundreds of arrests, people are already being charged and the police will continue to update on the specifics in relation to progress on arrests and charging.
The police are continuing to deploy additional resources around the country at strategic locations where necessary.
The police, home office, DC and NCA, are working to tackle criminality online, to ensure people are prosecuted, and they are working to tackle misinformation and bot activity.
The additional courts protocol is in place to ensure that additional court capacity is in place as is needed.
As the home office announced I think, on Friday, the protective security and mosque scheme has been extended with additional security in place across across the country.
Social media companies have responsibilities under the law. They have responsibilities to keep their users safe.
They have responsibility for ensuring that criminal activity is not on their platforms, and likewise, individuals who post illegal content online should know that they will also be met with the full force of the law.
There is not some sort of immunity by inciting illegal activity online.
There’s no kind of safe space where you can avoid prosecution, just because you are engaging in illegal activity online
At least 10 police officers were injured, with one left unconscious, after rioters tried to storm a Holiday Inn Express hotel in Rotherham.
Hotel employees and residents, some of whom are asylum seekers, were “terrified”, but no injuries were reported, police said.
A similar incident played out at a Holiday Inn hotel in Tamworth on Sunday evening, where reports suggested asylum seekers were also being housed, in a scene which saw fires, smashed windows and missiles being thrown at officers, Staffordshire Police said.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “Our Mosley Street store closed early on Saturday due to events in the area. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
No Sainsbury’s customers or staff were hurt.
