Birmingham MP Urges Communities To "Let The Police Do Their Job" Amid Far Right Protests
Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill said "people should not feel that they can take the law into their own hands" in response to the riots.
4 min read
Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, Preet Kaur Gill, has condemned the far-right riots across the UK and said communities targeted by rioters should "not feel that they can take the law into their own hands".
The MP made the remarks after a week of rioting from the far-right in various locations across the UK including Southport, Middlesborough, Belfast, Rotherham, and Hull.
Rioters attacked police, looted, set cars alight, and in some cases even attempted to set fire to buildings reportedly housing asylum seekers being processed by the Home Office. An extra six thousand police officers have been mobilised to deal with protests this evening.
On Monday, groups of Muslim men in Bordesley Green, Birmingham congregated in the street following reports on social media the far right were planning a march through the area.
Some were seen carrying weapons - with a breakaway group reportedly chasing journalists, and attacking a nearby pub.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday night communities "will be safe" and that those involved in disorder would face the consequences in court.
"We're doing everything we can to ensure that where a police response is needed it's in place, where support is needed for particular places, that that is in place," said Starmer.
The Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston told PoliticsHome she had been aware of unverified information being shared on platforms like WhatsApp before local men gathered in the street in Bordesley Green, some armed, in anticipation of far-right marches over the weekend.
"What we saw in Bordesley Green and Yardley was obviously communities coming out, feeling that they needed to a show the strength and saying that we won't accept anybody coming in to cause trouble," said Gill.
"But no one should feel that they need to do the job of the police - and I think it's really, really important - it doesn't matter who you are, where you're from - if you engage in acts of violence, the Prime Minister is really clear.
"The police have got his support in terms of, you know, taking a strong response."
The MP said communities should not take the law into their own hands in response to the riots, and should "stay home" and "stay calm".
"If they're going to come out and try to protect their street, protect their homes, environments - that can very quickly escalate as we saw [in Bordesley Green]," said Gill.
"Nobody wants to see that - so my my message to people is: stay at home, stay calm.
"If you if you are hearing information, send it to your elected representative. Send it on to the police, and let the police do their job."
Gill praised the approach taken by Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Police Chief Constable in response to the riots and said it was key to ensuring communities felt protected.
"I think it's the right approach that they're both taking, which is meeting with community faith leaders who are really worried about place of worship being targeted, making sure that they're hearing the concerns directly from the community as to you know what it is that they need," said Gill.
"The Home Secretary has already announced money for protection of place of worship, for security and other measures, because you know that that is a genuine concern - given what we've seen over the weekend, the attacks in terms of mosque being targeted.
"Birmingham is a very diverse, multicultural city, that is our strength - our diversity."
Gill also said social media platforms allowing the rapid spread of disinformation and misinformation, which has been a driving factor in the disorder, must be "cracked down" on.
"Online platforms that are spreading hate and disinformation and fake news will be also held to account, and that is absolutely right," said Gill.
"We've seen the level of disinformation that is being shared, the kind of language and the rhetoric that's been allowed to continue on social media - not just now, but for a long time.
"We do need to crack down on it. And we do need to, you know, take a, take a very clear, you know, response to it."
Gill also said the far right disorder on the UK's streets had left her fearing for the safety of her own family.
"People are saying to me: 'I've never known Britain ever go through this in a way that we're seeing such hate and the language being used so brazen'," said Gill.
"It's the summer holidays - my child wants to go into the into Birmingham City Centre, and wants to go to hang out with their mates... I don't feel that is safe.
"I don't recall saying to my kids: 'don't go'... we were having a conversation now."
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