Protests have erupted across the UK following the murder of three young girls in Southport. On Monday, the demonstrations entered their seventh day with mass gatherings in Plymouth, Birmingham, Belfast and Darlington.
Following the protests, the Government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, said politicians should not rush to classify the riots as terrorism.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, 88 per cent of Telegraph readers in a special poll of more than 28,000 said Hall: “I think you have to be careful about trying to effectively counter-terrorism in a live event, it can be escalatory.”
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Reader Cliff Buck also expressed concern about the term terrorism: “The surest way to foster real terrorism is to label people with legitimate grievances as terrorists.
“Have we not learned anything from the past?” asked Mr. Buck.
“Terrorism charges are a very powerful tool and should not be trivialised so foolishly,” began one anonymous Telegraph reader, adding: “Classifying crimes as terrorism leads to long periods of detention without trial and harsher sentences.”
ACH Melchett noted that “terrorism requires a political purpose” and believed that the majority of the insurgents “were not intelligent or sophisticated enough for a political purpose. They were just the bottom tier out there to get punched.”
‘There is no justification for mindless rebellions’
Some readers have suggested that if the rebels’ actions border on terrorism, they should be considered as such.
Thomas Shepherd gave this example: “If you want limited and controlled immigration and you throw bricks at the police, you risk prosecution under terrorism laws.”
“Your sympathy for these people does not change this simple fact,” he added.
Another reader shared a similar sentiment: “No laws need to be changed to categorize this as terrorism. If the violence crosses the threshold, the police should prosecute accordingly.
“This of course also applies to those who attacked the mosque and the hotel.”
Mr Whitehouse argued: “Whatever the rights and wrongs of immigration, there can be no justification for the senseless riots and mismanagement we have seen over the last few days.”
Meanwhile, some have argued that the riots were not acts of terrorism but banditry, or as reader Sarah Vaughan put it: “Civil unrest is not ‘terrorism’!”
“This is not terrorism, it’s just disgusting, hateful violence and I honestly can’t see how these people are of any use to humanity,” Julie Blackburn said.
Another reader, Ian Errington, agreed that “they are not terrorists. They are thugs, pure and simple. A lot of people need to go to jail very quickly.”
Finally, Steve Hughes argued that “the people on both sides involved in these riots are thugs” and said he was concerned that “this is going to turn into full-blown racial violence in some cities”.
He continued: “This could lead to sectarian no-go zones and be disastrous for our country. The failure of both parties to manage immigration over the decades has led to this situation.”
‘Policing needs to be impartial’
Some Telegraph readers have also reported seeing a ‘two-tiered’ policing response to the riots.
“I definitely believe there is a ‘two-stage’ response,” said John Bates. When other minorities have caused civil unrest in the past, the Left has excused their behavior by saying they are marginalized and have a genuine grievance.
“These protests are simply dismissed as ‘far right’ – even if there are elements determined to cause trouble that need to be stopped – and no attempt is made to refute or address their grievances.
“There is an underlying reason, it could even be simple ignorance, but Cooper and Starmer are not addressing it because it doesn’t fit their narrative.”
Reader Michael Morley also argued that “policing should be impartial, not soft on one group and tough on others. You should condemn all violent protests – not knee-jerk to some”.
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“There may or may not be two-tiered policing in this situation, but many people believe that immigrants are treated better by the authorities because those authorities are more eager to display their virtue than to do their job,” said Philip Hood.
“This can lead to hostility from indigenous people who feel they are not being fairly represented.”
‘Cobra meeting is not a solution’
Meanwhile, our reader Geoffrey Dobson highlights that “even if, despite the clear evidence, Keir Starmer does not think two-tiered policing exists, he must be alert to the fact that there is a growing perception that it is happening, and respond appropriately.”
An anonymous reader echoed this sentiment: “The Prime Minister needs to get out more; he needs to stay out of Westminster, out of London, out of places where there is enough money to keep yourself and your family safe from trouble.
“He needs to walk through the trouble spots and ask himself why they are the way they are. A Cobra meeting is not the answer. Talking to real people in the most trouble spots is the answer.”
Ian Duckworth wrote in a letter: “The Prime Minister has sent the right message to the rebel thugs.”
But, he asked, “Will Sir Keir Starmer’s actions live up to his rhetoric?” The promise of a tough response has been welcomed by many citizens, so it is vital he delivers.
“In the long term, people’s real and valid concerns about immigration also need to be addressed.”
‘Rebellions are symptoms, not causes’
Many readers perceived the riots as a wider problem of mass immigration in Britain.
Mr Morley wrote: “All mainstream parties have failed to represent the wishes of the majority on restricting immigration. They have failed to accurately report crimes committed by migrants posing as asylum seekers, just as police have failed the victims of rape gangs who have operated with impunity for years.
“I’m not a fan of these riots, but they are not the cause of anything, they are a symptom. Politicians, along with the political justice system, are the cause.”
Echoing this view, reader Carter Billington described the riots as “a cry for help”. He explained: “Perhaps the British people want the government to change immigration laws, perhaps people are fed up? Why aren’t politicians addressing these issues in public? It’s heartbreaking to see this chaos.”
Reader Mark Stanley also commented: “It’s funny that Sir Keir Starmer says the rebels don’t represent Britain. That’s true, smashing everything up is never the answer. But Mr Starmer needs to realise that a large part of Britain is unhappy with immigration levels, the erosion of our values and crime levels.”