Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will chair another Cobra meeting on Thursday as he vowed his “sole focus” is to “keep pushing on the criminal justice response” against rioters.
Thousands of peaceful anti-racism demonstrators took to the streets of London and other UK cities on Wednesday night as widespread public disorder linked to the far-right failed to materialise.
In areas it was feared would be targeted by rioting, including Finchley and Walthamstow in the capital, businesses were boarded up or closed early.
But aside from some minor disturbances in some parts of the country, the expected disorder did not appear to take place, and the number of anti-racism protesters who took to the streets dwarfed any far-right action.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan thanked those making a stand against the far-right, writing: “To those who came out peacefully to show London stands united against racism and Islamophobia - thank you.”
According to Stand Up to Racism, an estimated 25,000 people took to the streets, including around 8,000 in Walthamstow, 7,000 in Bristol and 2,000 in Liverpool.
There were 10 arrests during a disturbance with around 50 people in Croydon, the Met said, with objects thrown at police, but Scotland Yard said “This is not linked to protest, this appears to be pure antisocial behaviour.”
On Thursday Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley, praised “a successful night” and said “the show of force from the police and frankly the show of unity from communities, together defeated the challenges that we’ve seen”.
However, a minister said intelligence suggested there could be further far-right disorder in the coming days.
