Prime Minister Keir Starmer's statement in Downing Street: 1 August
Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a statement in Downing Street this afternoon.
This week 鈥� we are a nation in shock. 聽
A country coming to terms with an attack so inexplicably vile鈥β�
That fear is an understandable reaction. 聽
Our first thoughts of course are with the families at the heart of this鈥� 聽
Their pain is unimaginable. 聽
And so I call on everyone to give them and indeed the wider community at Southport鈥� 聽 聽
The space to grieve. 聽
And time for the authorities in Merseyside鈥β�
To do their job. 聽
There will be a time for questions. 聽聽
And we will make sure that the victims and families in Southport鈥� 聽
Are at the heart of that process鈥� 聽
That鈥檚 the very least that we owe these families. 聽
But we also owe them justice. 聽
So while there鈥檚 a prosecution that must not be prejudiced鈥� 聽
For them to receive the justice that they deserve鈥� 聽
The time for answering those questions is not now. 聽
And I remind everyone that the price for a trial that is prejudiced鈥� 聽
Is ultimately paid by the victims and their families. 聽
Who are deprived of the justice that they deserve.聽
Let me turn now to the actions of a tiny, mindless minority in our society. 聽
Because in the aftermath of this attack 聽
The community of Southport had to suffer twice. 聽
A gang of thugs, got on trains and busses鈥β�
Went to a community that is not their own鈥� 聽
A community grieving the most horrific tragedy鈥� 聽
And then proceeded to throw bricks at police officers. 聽
Police officers who just 24 hours earlier鈥� 聽
Had been having to deal with an attack on children in their聽community.
Their community. 聽
And make no mistake鈥β�
Whether it鈥檚 in Southport, London 鈥� or Hartlepool鈥� 聽
These people are showing our country exactly who they are.聽
Mosques targeted because they are Mosques. 聽
Flares thrown at the statue of Winston Churchill. 聽
A Nazi salute at the Cenotaph. 聽
And so I鈥檝e just held a meeting with senior police and law enforcement leaders鈥� 聽
Where we鈥檝e resolved to show who we are. 聽
A country 鈥� that will not allow understandable fear鈥β�
To curdle into division and hate in our communities. 聽
And that will not permit, under any circumstances鈥� 聽聽
A breakdown in law and order on our streets. 聽
Because let鈥檚 be very clear about this. 聽
It鈥檚 not protest. 聽
It鈥檚 not legitimate. 聽
It鈥檚 crime鈥β�
Violent disorder. 聽聽
An assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice. 聽
And so on behalf of the British people鈥β�
Who expect their values and their security to be upheld鈥β�
We will put a stop to it. 聽
I want to thank all of the police officers, across the country鈥� 聽
Who have already, as they so often do鈥� 聽
Stood up to intimidation and violence in the past few days鈥� 聽
And indeed, throughout the summer. 聽
And let me be clear 鈥� the meeting this afternoon was not about pointing the finger of blame鈥� 聽
That is not how this Government of Service conducts its business鈥� 聽
Because it doesn鈥檛 work. 聽
Rather 鈥� this was a meeting to pull together our response鈥� 聽
A response both to the immediate challenge鈥� 聽
Which is clearly driven by far-right hatred. 聽
But also - all violent disorder that flares up. 聽聽
Whatever the apparent cause or motivation 鈥� we make no distinction鈥� 聽
Crime is crime. 聽
And so - to that end鈥� 聽
I can announce today, that following this meeting鈥� 聽
we will establish a national capability, across police forces鈥� 聽
To tackle violent disorder. 聽
These thugs are mobile鈥� 聽
They move from community to community鈥� 聽
And we must have a policing response that can do the same. 聽
Shared intelligence鈥� 聽
Wider deployment of facial recognition technology鈥� 聽
And preventive action 鈥� criminal behaviour orders鈥� 聽
To restrict their movements鈥� 聽
Before they can even board a train鈥� 聽
In just the same way we do with football hooligans.聽
And let me also say to large social media companies and those who run them鈥� 聽聽
Violent disorder clearly whipped up online鈥β�
That is also a crime. 聽
It鈥檚 happening on your premises. 聽
And the law must be upheld everywhere. 聽
That is the single most important duty of Government鈥β�
Service rests on security. 聽
And we will take all necessary action鈥� 聽
To keep our streets safe.