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The government has said it will do “whatever it takes” to ensure those engaging in criminal activity during violent disorder across the UK are dealt with, including courts sitting overnight.
It comes as the government’s adviser on political violence and disruption warned that far-right actors are “almost certainly” being “aided and abetted by hostile states in creating and fanning disinformation”.
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Minister for policing, Dame Diana Johnson, told Sky News the government will ensure the “necessary” resources are put in place so those who have been arrested can be processed quickly.
Asked whether that includes courts sitting overnight, she said: “The prime minister has been very clear that we will do whatever it takes to make sure that people can get through the court system,” she said.
“We’ve already got people arrested and remanded into custody. It’s very clear that we want to send that message to people – if you engage in this type of criminal thuggery on our streets, you will be held to account.”
She said that the prime minster was the director of public prosecutions during the 2011 riots when the courts did sit through the night and is therefore “very well versed … in making sure we have available what’s needed”.
She also confirmed there was prison capacity to jail those convicted.
“We cannot have people feeling they are not safe on their streets, particularly communities who don’t feel safe because of the colour of their skin,” she added.
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