Public order stabilizes in UK after days of riots, but long-term impact likely

Public order in the United Kingdom (UK) has stabilized after days of violent far-right protests, the authorities said on Sunday. However, they warned that the impact of the unrest would be felt for months and even years.

"The situation in England, Scotland and Wales has somewhat stabilized over the last few days," said BJ Harrington, head of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) for public order.

However, Harrington warned that Northern Ireland is still facing "significant challenges." Ten police officers were injured by petrol bombs during a violent disorder in Northern Ireland on Saturday afternoon.

Far-right protests have rocked the country since the end of July, sparked by a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, which left three children dead. The rioting has led to injuries among police officers, looting of stores and attacks on hotels housing asylum-seekers.

Authorities believe that a turning point appeared on Wednesday thanks to a heavy police presence in major cities and towns, and swift court actions against rioters.

The UK police had braced for a possible return of riots this weekend, given the start of a new football season and an uptick in temperature. But it turned out to be relatively peaceful except for a few isolated small-scale far-right protests.

In addition, thousands of people participated in anti-racism rallies during the weekend in cities such as London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

However, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, writing in The Observer, said the impact of days of disorder would be "felt for months and years to come," citing court backlogs and prisons "close to overflowing."

The NPCC said on Saturday that 779 people have been arrested in connection with the rioting, of whom 349 were charged.

Around 30 people have been jailed for their involvement in violent disorder or inciting racial hatred online so far, with the longest sentence being three years.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned last week that violent protesters who had targeted Muslim communities would swiftly face the "full force of the law."

"Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest, it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities," Starmer said on August 5 after an emergency meeting with police and prison chiefs.

"The full force of law will be visited on all those who are identified as having taken part."

(With input from Xinhua and Reuters)