COP SNUB
Moment Met boss dodges question over ‘two-tier’ policing of riots by grabbing reporter’s mic & chucking it to floor
The Met chief hit out as he stormed out of today's Cobra meeting
THIS is the moment the Met's boss dodged a question over 'two-tier' riot policing - by grabbing a reporter's mic and chucking it to the floor.
Footage shows Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley seemingly putting his hand over the journalist's mic as he stormed out of today's Cobra meeting.
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The reporter asked him: "Are you going to end two-tier policing?"
But Rowley remained silent and slapped down his mic as he walked past him.
Footage then shows him walking away followed by other members of the press.
Later on Monday, Rowley said: "This morning I was part of a positive and constructive COBRA meeting with the prime Minister about our collective response to hateful behaviour and violent disorder across the country.
"There's been a story running all day about my exit from the meeting. This is a distraction from the critical events we are dealing with.
"It was agreed the prime minister would provide an update afterwards and it was not my place to speak publicly. In an effort to move a microphone out of my path I'm sorry that I knocked it to the floor. That was never my intention.
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"We remain focused on the critical and urgent matters at hand."
'Two-tier policing' is a phrase used to describe the belief that some protests are dealt with more harshly than others.
The belief has been promoted by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage - but was dismissed by former Home Secretary Priti Patel today.
Patel told Times Radio: "I've seen the statement and the comments that Farage has made, particularly about the Black Lives Matter protest.
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"By the way, they took place during the pandemic when we had a range of restrictions around protest.
Scene of devastation as bricks & broken glass left strewn across the street after petrol bomb attack
"There's a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worship.
"What we have seen is thuggery, violence, racism. Those kinds of comments are simply not relevant right now.
"That is not correct. It is not correct."
The police chief was present as Sir Keir Starmer today summoned ministers and cops for the first Cobra meeting since the riots started.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "The Commissioner had a positive and constructive meeting with the Prime Minister and partners across government and policing.
"He was in a hurry to return to New Scotland Yard to take action on the agreed next steps."
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer today insisted that attacking innocent Brits for the colour of their skin is thuggery, not a protest.
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The PM hit out at the depraved far-right maniacs wreaking havoc across Britain by cruelly targeting and attacking ethnic minorities.
He said: "This is not protest - this is violence. We're not going to tolerate that in this country."
Speaking after the meeting, the Prime Minister said: "There are a number of actions that came out of the meeting.
"The first is we will have a Standing Army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them.
"The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.
"I have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law.";
The PM and top cops put online and in-person thugs on notice, warning the full force of the law will come down on both groups.
A Number 10 spokesperson warned social media bosses they have a responsibility to guarantee criminal activity doesn't appear or run amok on their platforms.
They said ministers are in close contact with tech chiefs to "ensure they are meeting their obligations" around illegal racist activity.
Downing Street also confirmed there are enough free prison cells to ensure every last rioter is locked up.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: "The police, Home Office and National Crime Agency are working to tackle criminality online and to ensure people are prosecuted.
"They are working to tackle misinformation and bot activity.
"The additional courts protocol is in place to ensure that additional court capacity is in place as is needed, and as the home office announced, the protective security scheme for mosques has been extended with additional security in place across across the country."
In Westminster the PM paid tribute to the "hard work of police officers over the past week" and "sent best wishes to those who have been injured protecting our streets".
Sir Keir was told hundreds of arrests have been made and cops will continue to update ministers over arrests and charges.
There have been no requests for the army to step in and provide back-up from forces across the UK.
But additional police resources are ready to be deployed at strategic locations around the country where necessary.
Hundreds of thugs petrol-bombed a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, near Sheffield, yesterday.
At least 12 riot cops were injured - including one who was knocked out after suffering a head injury.
Yobs also petrol-bombed a Holiday Inn hosting asylum seekers in Tamworth, Staffordshire and set fire to a children's library in Liverpool and a Citizens' Advice centre in Sunderland.
Fake news ‘bots’ & vile accounts spreading lies on social media WILL be stopped, Starmer vows
Speaking after today's Cobra meeting, the PM said:
There have been hundreds of arrests, people are already being charged and the police will continue to update on the specifics in relation to progress on arrests and charging.
The police are continuing to deploy additional resources around the country at strategic locations where necessary.
The police, home office, DC and NCA, are working to tackle criminality online, to ensure people are prosecuted, and they are working to tackle misinformation and bot activity.
The additional courts protocol is in place to ensure that additional court capacity is in place as is needed.
As the home office announced I think, on Friday, the protective security and mosque scheme has been extended with additional security in place across across the country.
Social media companies have responsibilities under the law. They have responsibilities to keep their users safe.
They have responsibility for ensuring that criminal activity is not on their platforms, and likewise, individuals who post illegal content online should know that they will also be met with the full force of the law.
There is not some sort of immunity by inciting illegal activity online.
There's no kind of safe space where you can avoid prosecution, just because you are engaging in illegal activity online.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper slammed the "disgraceful" riots - saying they betray Britain's values.
Writing in , Cooper said: "Make no mistake - there will be a reckoning for the individuals who took part in this violence.
"Whatever they and some of their political supporters may tell us, these are not patriots standing up for their communities.
"They are thugs, criminals, and extremists who betray the very values our country is built on."
Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly told Times Radio: "Mosques are being targeted, asylum hotels are being targeted.
"We are seeing people with swastika tattoos and giving Nazi salutes - this is self-evidently driven in significant part by the far right.
"We know that there is a very active online community stirring up hatred, stirring up the kind of attitudes which trigger events like this.
"So we know where this is coming from. It is absolutely right to describe the actions of these people as the far right."
Tory leadership contender Cleverly said the government had been "slow" to crack down on the riots.
He said: "When the government gets things right, I will support them, because this issue is absolutely key.
"But I'm also concerned that they have been slow. It's only today that Cobra is going to sit."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for Parliament to be recalled this morning.
Posting on X, he said: "We should not discount the use of the army if the situation were to deteriorate further."
Violent clashes broke out following the murders of three girls in Southport.
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Posts wrongly claimed suspect Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker.
The 17-year-old was actually born in Cardiff and raised as a Christian.
THE SUN SAYS
THERE are several things to be learned from the sickening scenes of rioting across the UK following the murders of three innocent little girls in Southport.
That relying on the Wild West of social media to get news — instead of regulated, traditional and trusted media — opens users to a constant feed of fakery from distorted algorithms.
That a lack of speedy transparency from the police and other authorities often creates a vacuum into which lies are peddled by twisted conspiracy theorists.
This in turn is fuelled by disinformation deliberately spread by malign foreign states like Russia to sow discord in the UK.
There is no question the courts should now throw the book at the drunk and drugged-up far-right thugs responsible for mindless violence in towns like Rotherham.
Punishment, too, should be meted out to the hard-Left and Islamists also seeking to drive a wedge in our communities.
But it remains the case that unless the Government grips the twin problems of violent crime and illegal migration, vile organised racists and fanatics will always seek to exploit those issues.
That is precisely why Sir Keir Starmer wants to bring the full force of justice against the mobs.
Yet amid the sickening and depressing scenes, we have also been shown the uplifting true face of Britain.
Southport’s mosque repaired by volunteer builders, locals leading clean-up operations in their towns.
The far-Right faced down as, ultimately, they always have been.
Because it’s vital to remember that this remains a moderate, tolerant country — always capable of delivering a mocking brick-in-the-balls to the fascists who deserve derision as well as contempt.
We haven’t let them win before and we won’t start now.
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