The impact of the far-right riots seen across the UK could be felt for “months and years”, warned the Justice Secretary.
Shabana Mahmood provided the comments in an article for The Observer as courts have been working extended hours to deal with protesters charged by police during the disorder.
Far-right violence has erupted in towns and cities across the UK following a knife attack that left three girls dead in Southport on Monday 29 July.
False rumors 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 had been arrested over the riots.
Of these, 349 were charged.
Ms Mahmood said: “The justice system has shown it can rise to this challenge. Should more crime and disorder occur, we will continue to deliver justice until the last offender languishes in one of our prisons.
“But we must not make mistakes. Meeting this challenge has become more difficult to do within the justice system we inherited from the Conservatives.”
Ms Mahmood said there are “record backlogs at the Crown Court” and prisons are “almost overflowing”.
“The impact of these days of disorder will be felt for months and years. They make the work of rebuilding the judicial system difficult,” she added.
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Parents of girl killed in Southport reveal older sister witnessed attack
Thousands take part in anti-racism protests as Molotov bomb is thrown at mosque
Disorder broke out in Rotherham. Photo: Reuters
It turns out that the head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Stephen Parkinson, told The Sunday Times that hundreds of violent protesters will continue to appear in courts across the country in the coming days.
The newspaper also reported that the CPS is considering charging people with the more serious crime of rioting, which could lead to 10 years in prison.
Many defendants have so far been prosecuted for violent disorder, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.
Sky News understands that Sir Keir Starmer has canceled his holiday as protests continue to take place across the country.
But, for the fourth day in a row, anti-racism protesters largely outnumbered far-right protesters in several areas.
People clean up debris at the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham. Photo: PA
Thousands of anti-racism protesters gathered outside Reform UK headquarters in central London on Saturday – with one organizer accusing party leader Nigel Farage of spreading “dangerous rhetoric”.
The rally was organized by Stand Up To Racism and organizers said the turnout of around 5,000 people showed the depth of support for refugees and other minority groups targeted in the recent disorder.
A spokesperson for Reform UK released a statement condemning the demonstration, saying that their headquarters were not in London, and that they were not revealing their whereabouts due to “the invasion of our offices in previous years by left-wing extremist activists” and ” safety and health of our employees.”
One man was briefly removed from the march by police, but officers said no arrests were made.
Protesters demonstrate near the Reform UK offices. Photo: AP
The action in London came as 14 people were arrested as far-right and anti-immigration protesters gathered in Newcastle on Saturday.
Northumbria Police said she was arrested for a number of offenses including possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a Class B drug and failing to comply with some of the orders that had been put in place.
However, the city center was clear of protesters around 5pm on Saturday night.
It came as a dispersal order was put into effect in Liverpool city centre. It also covers parts of Everton, Kensington, Vauxhall and Kirkdale. Merseyside Police said it was introduced “following incidents of disorder”.
Meanwhile, a Molotov bomb was thrown at a mosque in Northern Ireland in an incident that police described as racially motivated.
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