The Spectator

Portrait of the week: riot justice, Olympic success and Ukraine’s Russian advance

issue 17 August 2024

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Riots subsided after 7 August, a night when many were expected but only empty streets or demonstrations against riots eventuated. By 12 August there had been 975 arrests and 546 charges in 36 of the 43 police force areas in England and Wales. Rioters could be released from jail after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, as part of the early release scheme to ease prison overcrowding, Downing Street said. Ricky Jones, a councillor for Dartford, now suspended from the Labour party, was remanded in custody after being charged with encouraging violent disorder in Walthamstow. The judge told him: ‘It is alleged that using a microphone you addressed a crowd at an anti-fascist protest and, talking about others you described as “disgusting Nazi fascists”, you said, “We need to cut their throats and get rid of them”.’Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Tory councillor in Northamptonshire, appeared in court charged with publishing written material to stir up racial hatred. It was alleged that, on the day of the Southport knife killings, she posted a Twitter message saying: ‘Mass deportation now, set fire to all the hotels full of the bastards for all I care… If that makes me racist, so be it.’ A 13-year-old girl and two 12-year-old boys pleaded guilty to violent disorder offences. In Liverpool, a 16-year-old boy admitted stealing £15,000 worth of vapes.

The train operator CrossCountry announced reduced timetables until 9 November because it had not trained enough drivers; Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, said the company’s passengers had been ‘suffering from a substandard service for too long’. Ioan Pintaru, 32, a Romanian national of no fixed address, appeared in court charged with attempted murder after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in Leicester Square. Two migrants died off the French coast between Calais and Dunkirk attempting to cross the Channel in a small boat with 54 others, who were rescued.

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