Roundup: UK braces for possible weekend unrest following 2 quiet nights

LONDON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — The United Kingdom (UK) is bracing for a possible return of riots in the coming weekend after two consecutive quiet nights which have been hailed as a “turning point” to the unrest gripping the country for many days.
The start of the new football season, an uptick in temperature and dry conditions are factors that the UK authorities fear could spark further riots.
“While the previous two nights have been a welcome break from the appalling scenes of the last week, and may have reached a turning point, we are by no means complacent,” said Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
“We’ve got a busy weekend with sporting fixtures, big community events and so on. The investigations really are only just ramping up,” Stephens said.
The NPCC said that forces across the UK are “prepared and ready” with 6,000 specialist public protection officers being deployed on Saturday to deter further violence.
Since a knife attack at the end of July in Southport, northwest England, which left three children dead, far-right protests have rocked the UK, resulting in police officers being injured, stores looted and hotels housing asylum-seekers stormed.
Thanks to a heavy police presence and a huge turnout of anti-racism protesters in many UK cities and towns, as well as the courts’ swift sentencing of rioters, far-right protesters seem to have been deterred since Wednesday.
Latest figures showed that more than 700 people have been arrested and around 300 have been charged over the disorder and unrest. Around 30 people have been jailed, with the longest sentence being three years.
“My message to the police and all of those that are charged with responding to disorder is maintain that high alert,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a visit to the Metropolitan Police’s special operations room in Lambeth, London on Friday.
“I’m absolutely convinced that having the police officers in place these last few days, and the swift justice that has been dispensed in our courts have had a real impact,” Starmer said.
Britain’s King Charles III on Friday thanked the police for restoring order and called for unity and understanding.
“It remains His Majesty’s hope that shared values of mutual respect and understanding will continue to strengthen and unite the nation,” said a spokesperson for the monarch. ■