Army ought to be deployed to finish UK riots, says professional – however there’d be a catch

As Britain burns in a shocking series of riots an expert has warned that the Army could well be called in.

Protests that first started in Southport, ostensibly in reaction to the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, have now moved into cities including Hull, Halifax, Liverpool, London, Southport and Rotherham.

The government has currently said it has no intention of using the Army, but calls have been mounting from various external voices, including former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, demanding they be deployed.

Director of European Studies at Brunel University professor Anthony Glees has now joined that chorus, claiming that “lines have been crossed” following the firebombing of a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham.

Ugly scenes have been easy to come by online in recent days, with various incidents showing protestors, often masked and heavily adorned with England or flags or Union Jacks, chanting outside of hotels.

And for Professor Glees, it is this escalating violence that justifies bringing in the Army to support the police.

He said: “In my opinion, the bottom line here is that law and order must be maintained on the streets of Britain and if the police cannot do this, or can only do this at the price of many being injured – 39 were injured by thugs in Rotherham last night – then yes we should certainly consider deploying troops to protect lives and property.

“The firebombing of the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham crossed a critical red line.

“What we have seen in the past few days is a systematic attempt by dispersed groupings to undermine our national security and integrity; this benefits only the enemies of our democracy, whether they are fascists in plain sight here in the UK or Putin and his spooks in Russia.

“We have seen our cops on the back foot and this is not where they should be, ever.”

But while the idea of the Army may spark an image in peoples’ minds of martial law and tanks in the street, Professor Glees was quick to note it wouldn’t be carried out in such a way.

“Deployed troops would not be armed, but the police, of course, can be armed with tasers and there should be no reluctance to fire them at those on the rampage,” he added.

Despite the ongoing and widespread unrest, the riots haven’t claimed the lives of anyone, something Professor Glees called a “miracle,” but one that led him to think that the use of the Army may remain a good idea.

He continued: “Naturally we would hope the police could sort this. We know that everyone from the PM, the Home Secretary and the Police Chiefs insist they can. I applaud Starmer’s straight-talking; he’s not having to ‘wordsmith’ to keep a divided party in check. Rapid prosecutions are a key tool as they were in London and elsewhere in 2011.

“I’m delighted that facial recognition software is being deployed (a fitting rebuke to the ‘civil liberty’ fruitcakes who have always campaigned against CCTV, on the grounds that it impinges on the ‘civil liberty’ of people to be identified for wrongdoing, implying the civil liberties of violent extremists trump the civil liberties of ordinary people).

“Yes the Defence Secretary John Healy has firmly ruled out the use of troops but he should not be too dogmatic about this.

“The law is perfectly clear: the 2004 Civil Contingencies Act and the 1964 Emergency Powers Act allow for ‘general support to the police when the civil authorities are overwhelmed’. If we’re not there right now, we may well be there if the unrest carries on.

“The vast majority of Brits are decent, law-abiding people. It is not unnatural that they should wish to protest at the horrific murder of three little girls enjoying a Taylor Swift dance session.

“There is a backstory here but now is not the time to pursue it. The key thing is that the trial of the alleged perpetrator can proceed and that justice will be seen to be done.

“However, the violence and looting shames the memory of the Southport victims as it should shame all those who took part in it, whether actively or cheering them on from the outside.”