Thousands of counter-protesters rally after riots

Thousands of anti-racism protesters have rallied in cities and towns across England after a week of anti-immigrant rioting and disorder.

Gatherings in locations where anti-immigration protests had been expected – including north London, Bristol and Newcastle – were largely peaceful, with counter-protesters chanting “refugees are welcome here” forming the bulk of the crowds.

Police had been braced for further violence, with thousands of officers deployed and more than 100 events anticipated.

Rioting was sparked by misinformation online that the suspect in the fatal stabbing of three little girls in Southport on 29 July was a Muslim asylum seeker.

Mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers were among places targeted during the disorder, with some shops burnt out and looted.

On Wednesday, on high streets across England, shop owners had boarded up windows and closed early in anticipation of further violence.

Immigration lawyers had been told by police to work from home after lists of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies were shared in chat groups as possible targets.

But only a handful of arrests were reported during the evening as demonstrations largely passed off peacefully across parts of England:

In total, more than 400 arrests have been made in relation to the riots which started last week.

More than 140 people have been charged and some have already been convicted and sentenced.

Three men were given jail sentences for their parts in violent disorder in Southport and Liverpool.

Wednesday evening’s largely peaceful scenes raise the question of whether those earlier arrests and custodial sentences, and the desire of others to take a stand against the violence, had an impact on anyone intending to begin new riots.

Disorder was reported in Croydon but the Met said it was not linked to protests. Around 50 people gathered, throwing objects down the road and bottles at officers, police said. Eight arrests were made.

Police also came under attack in Belfast, where fires were lit and objects thrown at officers.

Earlier on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, another hotel housing asylum seekers that was attacked by rioters on Sunday.

She vowed those involved with riots would be “met with the law” and urged people to “stay away from it”.

Asked if protesters had legitimate concerns about immigration, she said: “Coming on the streets, throwing missiles at the police, attacking hotels like this one is not a legitimate grievance. It’s not the way we do politics in this country. And nobody should be condoning that. This is thuggery. This is violence.“

Riot police are expected to stay on standby for the “foreseeable future” including through the weekend “and beyond”, according to assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams.

King Charles is being kept updated daily about the public disorder around the country, according to Buckingham Palace, but is not expected to make any imminent interventions or visits to trouble spots.

Additional reporting by Joe Inwood in Bristol, Andy Gill in Liverpool, Lucinda Adam in Brighton, James Bovill in Tamworth, Steve Humphrey in Portsmouth, Serin Ha, Emma Pengelly and Aleks Phillips in London, and Galya Dimitrova