Mass Riots in the UK: Over 400 Arrested, First Sentence for Facebook Post, and Monitoring TikTok

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held an emergency Cobra meeting on Tuesday evening due to the escalation of unrest following the injuries in Southport. He promised that communities would be "safe" as the country braces for an escalation of unrest on Wednesday. 

Starmer added that he expected a "significant sentence" for those involved in the riots "by the end of this week". 

"Those involved will feel the full force of the law... over 400 people have been arrested so far, 100 have been charged - some in connection with online activity - and many are already in court. I expect a substantive verdict by the end of this week. This should send a very powerful message to anyone involved, whether directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week. No one, but no one, should be involved in this mess," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Police braced for a potentially busier day on Wednesday as they monitored reports of at least 30 possible gatherings on social media. More than 400 people have been arrested in connection with riots and disorder across the country following last week's knife attack in Southport, and the number is expected to rise in the coming days.

The day before, the first man was convicted of inciting racial hatred for his Facebook posts. The UK police are also monitoring TikTok for evidence of criminality during the far-right riots. Footage of the riots can reach hundreds of thousands of viewers and often shows the faces of those committing crimes.