"I'm absolutely convinced that having the police officers in place these last few days, and the swift justice that has been dispensed in our courts have had a real impact," he told UK broadcasters. "But we have to stay on high alert going into this weekend because we absolutely have to make sure that our communities are safe and secure. Around a dozen people were jailed on Thursday for involvement.On Friday, two men are set to be the first to face jail for stirring up racial hatred online. "That's a reminder to everyone that whether you're directly involved or whether you're remotely involved, you're culpable," Starmer said in reference to those cases.He added social media executives as well as users should be "mindful of the first priority, which is to ensure that our communities are safe and secure," and hinted at stricter enforcement in future. "We're going to have to look more broadly at social media after this disorder but the focus at the moment has to be on dealing with the disorder," Starmer said.In Northern Ireland, a number of Belfast businesses and libraries announced plans to close early on Friday after more disorder overnight and further planned protests.Police there said 23 people have been arrested so far following the disturbances, and 15 charged.Officers have been granted additional powers to stop and search suspected troublemakers and ask them to remove face coverings, while additional manpower is being sent from the UK mainland, according to reports.

Source: The Times August 09, 2024 12:40 UTC