The impact of the far-right riots seen across the UK could be felt for “months and years to come”, the justice secretary has warned.
Shabana Mahmood made the remarks in a piece for The Observer as courts have been working extended hours to deal with rioters who were charged by police during the disorder.
Far-right violence broke out in towns and cities across the UK in the wake of a stabbing attack that left three girls dead in Southport on Monday 29 July.
False rumours were circulated online claiming the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said on Saturday that a total of 779 people have been arrested over the riots.
Of those, 349 have been charged.
Ms Mahmood said: “The justice system has shown it can rise to this challenge. Should further criminality and disorder ensue, we will continue to deliver justice, until the last offender languishes in one of our jails.
“But we must make no mistake. Rising to this challenge has been made harder by doing so within the justice system we inherited from the Conservatives.”
Ms Mahmood said there are “record Crown Court backlogs” and prisons are “close to overflowing”.
“The impact of these days of disorder will be felt for months and years to come. They make the job of rebuilding the justice system harder,” she added.
Image: Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, left. Pic: PA
Image: Disorder broke out in Rotherham. Pic: Reuters
In the wake of the riots, pupils will be taught how to spot extremist content and fake news online in a revamp of the curriculum, the education secretary has said.
Bridget Phillipson told the Telegraph that children as young as five would be given critical thinking skills to identify misinformation online under the new plans.
Lessons such as English, ICT and maths will be used to “arm” pupils against “putrid conspiracy theories”, she said.
Meanwhile, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Stephen Parkinson, told The Sunday Times hundreds of violent rioters will continue appearing in courts across the country in the coming days.
The newspaper also reported the CPS is considering charging people with the more serious offence of rioting, which could lead to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Many charged so far have been prosecuted for violent disorder, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.
Sky News understands Sir Keir Starmer has cancelled his holiday as protests continue to take place across the country.
But, for a fourth day in a row, anti-racism protesters far outnumbered far-right demonstrators in several areas.
Image: People clear debris at the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham. Pic: PA
Thousands of anti-racism protesters gathered outside Reform UK’s headquarters in central London on Saturday – with one of the organisers accusing party leader Nigel Farage of spreading “dangerous rhetoric”.
The demonstration was organised by Stand Up To Racism and organisers said the turnout of about 5,000 people showed the depth of support for refugees and other minority groups targeted in recent disorder.
A Reform UK spokesperson released a statement condemning the demonstration, saying their head office was not in London, and they had not revealed its whereabouts due to the “invasion of our offices in previous years by extremist left-wing campaigners” and the “security and health of our staff”.
A man was briefly removed from the march by police, but officers said no arrests were made.
Image: Protesters demonstrate near the Reform UK offices. Pic: AP
The action in London came as 14 people were arrested as far-right and anti-immigration demonstrators gathered in Newcastle on Saturday.
Northumbria Police said they were arrested for a range of offences including possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a Class B drug and failure to comply with some of the orders that had been put in place.
However, the city centre was clear of demonstrators from around 5pm on Saturday evening.
It came as a dispersal order was put into force in Liverpool city centre. It also covers parts of Everton, Kensington, Vauxhall and Kirkdale. Merseyside Police said it had been introduced “following incidents of disorder”.
Meanwhile, a petrol bomb was thrown at a mosque in Northern Ireland in an incident police have described as racially motivated.
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