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Police officers were not prepared for the level of disorder that occurred in several parts of the UK following the Southport knife attacks, according to a report by a police watchdog. The review found that police intelligence had failed to predict the “rising tide of violent disorder” in the wake of the worst unrest in the country in over a decade. Andy Cooke, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, praised the bravery of officers, but warned that police had missed chances to prepare for widespread disorder.
In July 2024, following the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Da Silva Aguiar in Southport, a riot erupted in the town, which was then followed by violent disorder across the UK. Over 600 arrests were made as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described it as “far-right thuggery”. Crowds targeted mosques and housing for asylum seekers.
The report by His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services warned that intelligence services ought to have considered earlier incidents that could have indicated future unrest. These included violence and disorder near hotels housing asylum seekers in Merseyside and Llanelli in 2023, as well as Armistice Day violence in London.
Officers had been deliberately targeted by rioters, with many injured and hospitalised. The review recommended improvements to the ability of the police to respond to violent disorder, along with their support for officers and staff. It also recommended that public order and public safety resources be mobilised more effectively. A further report, relating to the impact of social media on the riots, is due to be published by the watchdog in 2025.
Chief Inspector Cooke stated that while the professionalism of those leading the response should be credited, there was a need to change the systems and processes they work under. There was a possibility, he warned, that similar violence and disorder could recur across the UK, and that the police service needed to be ready to respond
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