UK riots LIVE: Met Police issue warning to rioters amid fears of planned disorder in London and other cities

Haringey councillors have visited mosques in the north London borough “to reassure our Muslim residents and address any concerns they have at this time”.

The council said “there’s no place for hate in our borough” ahead of the potential riots.

‘Significant police resources’ are being made available in Harrow in case of riots, the area’s MP has said.

Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas told residents in an update that it is not clear what is being planned by the far-right.

After speaking to Superintendent Zubin Writer, Harrow’s New Local Policing Lead, the politician said: “Nonetheless, this is a fast-moving situation and Superintendent Writer has therefore reassured me that significant police resources are being made available to Harrow and that a considerable amount of work has already been carried out to prevent or minimise any disorder.

“I am confident that Harrow Police have a strong & effective policing plan in place to deal with all eventualities.

“I take great pride in Harrow’s diverse communities. Those who seek to disrupt our peaceful community and to divide us, will not succeed.

“I urge residents to remain calm and to support the police to do their work to keep everyone safe.”

Three men jailed after disturbances which took place last week is evidence of “the swift action” which the Government is taking, according to Sir Keir Starmer.

Reacting to the prison sentences, the Prime Minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is the swift action we’re taking.

“If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law.”

Declan Geiran, 29, wrote off a police van after he set a seatbelt on fire while the vehicle was parked in Liverpool city centre.

The incident in William Brown Street took place as rival protesters clashed at various locations in the city on Saturday August 3.

Prosecutor Christopher Taylor told Liverpool Crown Court that footage uploaded to TikTok showed the defendant at the open window on the driver’s side as he set the seatbelt alight and smoke billowed out.

Geiran remained at the scene and was seen to sit casually on the fountain outside the Walker Art Gallery and then take out his phone to film the van, he said.

He was swiftly tracked on CCTV footage and arrested a short time later, the court heard.

When interviewed, he said attended the protest at Pier Head alone and wanted to “show his support” for the bereaved families of the three girls murdered in Southport.

Mr Taylor said: “He heard shouts of ‘burn the van, burn the van’ and stated he felt under pressure.

“He didn’t believe his actions had caused the damage.”

The Transit van was written off, said the prosecutor, with new replacement vans costing more than £32,000.

London businesses have been forced to close on Wednesday or shut early amid fears of an outbreak of far-right disorder in the capital.

The Met Police has vowed it will crack down on disorder by “hateful and divisive groups” at planned events on Wednesday night, and would not tolerate “thuggish” or “criminal behaviour”.

But several businesses in the north of the capital were boarding up their windows and closing early ahead of the events.

Among them was a branch of Foxton’s estate agents on Finchley High Road, which had boarded up windows.

Read the full story here.

A teenager accused of encouraging violence and damage while live-streaming a Darlington riot on TikTok has appeared in court, writes Tristan Kirk, Courts Correspondent.

Brandon Welch, 18, accepts filming some of the disorder as bricks were thrown at police near a mosque in the town in County Durham on Monday.

But he denies being involved in the violence, Teesside magistrates court heard on Wednesday.

Welch, of Warkworth Way, Darlington, has been charged with violent disorder and was remanded in custody until an appearance at Teesside crown court on August 28.

An office worker in the City of London said he and his colleagues have been told to leave their office near Liverpool Street due to “planned riots” in the area.

He said that employees have been advised to work from home for the remainder of the week and not to attend the London office.

Police believe most of the disorder is being carried out by low-level criminals using the unrest as an excuse to commit crime.

However, they say there has been organising at local levels for disorder.

A police source told PA: “It’s a nuanced picture. There is a level of co-ordination, there is a level of planning.

“It’s not particularly sophisticated, there’s planning at a local level. There’s not necessarily planning by groups nationally or regionally.

“But a lot of what we’re seeing is locals reacting to what they’re seeing on social media, what they’re seeing outside in their streets and just joining in.

“Quite a lot of forces have reported that it’s not actually right wing or left wing, sometimes a lot of it is actually just low-level criminals who they already know about joining the trouble, using it as an excuse to commit violence and looting.

“It’s a very nuanced picture, there isn’t a sort of level of sophistication that we’re seeing nationally. But locally, there’s definitely some sort of organisation happening.”

Police preparing to respond to more than 100 planned protests and potentially around 30 more counter protests on Wednesday, with gatherings anticipated in 41 of the 43 police force areas in England and Wales.

A police source told the PA news agency: “Today is probably going to be the busiest day of the week, into the evening.

“Tonight, we think it’s looking like a credible picture. We are preparing for activity across 41 forces.”

Resources are being shared around the country as forces respond to intelligence, with the Metropolitan Police understood to be sending some officers to Manchester while others in the south east are also travelling to support colleagues in north east and north west forces.

According to police sources, immigration centres and lawyers’ offices are anticipated to be the main focus for the gatherings but officers could also be deployed to hotels housing asylum seekers if intelligence establishes they face credible threats.

All Londoners are safe in the capital city, a Green Assembly Member has said, as she urged residents to stand against the far-right.

Zoë Garbett, the former Green candidate in the London Mayoral race, said: “I want every Londoner, particularly our Black, Asian, and Muslim neighbours, coworkers, friends and partners, to know they are safe in our city. I expect the Met to remain vigilant, diligent, and unbiased as we work to move past these hateful attacks on our streets.

“Peaceful protest is a hallmark of free expression in this country. Let me be clear: the kind of rioting, looting, and thuggery we have seen elsewhere in the UK is anything but peaceful, and anything but a protest.

“Now is the moment to reach out, support, and stand up for diversity that makes London the incredible home it is for so many of us.

“If you see something that doesn’t look right, please get in touch with the Met police as quickly as possible by calling 999.”