Calm returns to UK streets following far-right riots

Thousands of people took to the streets across the United Kingdom on Wednesday to protest against anti-immigrant, far-right rioting that had flared throughout the previous week.

The counter-demonstrations were peaceful and deterred far-right rioters, giving the country its first quiet night since July 30.

Police chiefs said residents had effectively retaken their streets, while cautioning that far-right violence could return.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley described it as a "very successful night" on which far-right violence had "abated", while Tiffany Lynch, acting chairwoman of the Police Federation, which represents 145,000 officers, said on Radio 4's Today program that officers were optimistic but still experiencing "heightened anxiety".

Diana Johnson, UK minister of policing, fire and crime prevention, said on Today that many officers were exhausted after several long days battling rioters.

"That's why we needed to have a show of strength last night," she said on Thursday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday vowed no "letup" in moves to prevent further far-right riots across England, after more anticipated street violence failed to materialize overnight.

"It's important that we don't let up here," Starmer told media outlets as he visited a mosque and met community leaders in Solihull, West Midlands.

Wednesday's counter-demonstrations, badged under the slogan "Hope not Hate", took place in communities including Birmingham, Brighton, London, Newcastle, Sheffield and Southend.

While they undoubtedly dissuaded far-right rioters, thousands of extra police officers also kept a lid on things, and troublemakers were also likely deterred by prison sentences of up to three years handed to those involved in earlier riots.

Troublemakers may also have realized they had been manipulated by online misinformation that wrongly attributed a horrific knife attack in the northwestern town of Southport on July 29 to an Islamic extremist migrant.

In the multiday violence that followed that incident, police made more than 400 arrests and charged 140 people.

Johnson, the policing minister, said officers will continue to sift through video and online content seeking other participants and organizers of the trouble.