We spoke to organisations on rioting thugs’ ‘hit record’ – that is what they mentioned

As another possible night of rioting looms, organisations that have been listed as “targets” are taking desparate measures.

The Daily Star has reached out to a number of organisations listed in a sickening compilation that has been circulating on right-wing social media channels. The list identifies a range of immigration advisors, clinics and support infrastructure, as well as solicitors and specialist centres, with targets in 38 settlements altogether.

All of those firms this newspaper spoke to had been forced into drastic measures of varying kinds. The vast majority we tried to contact either didn’t answer the phone or in one case, appeared to have been disconnected entirely.

One organisation we spoke to informed us that staff were “working from home” today.

Another person we spoke to told us that they were not prepared to give any comment “for the safety of my family”.

Chillingly, when asked by the Star what they were planning to do following the discovery their business was on the list, they simply said: “What would you do?”

A number of the businesses listed work in the legal sector, which saw Law Society of England and Wales president Nick Emmerson say in a statement sent to the Daily Star: “We deplore the violent scenes and rioting that we have witnessed across the past week.

“We have serious concerns about the safety and well-being of our members following names and addresses of a number of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for further protest and violence this week.

“I have written to the Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Home Secretary today asking that the threats against the legal profession are treated with the utmost seriousness. A direct assault on our legal profession is a direct assault on our democratic values and we are supporting our members who are being targeted.

“It is paramount that justice is done for all those who have been involved in, or are victims of, the riots. We commend the UK government for its swift response and want to see that the necessary support and resources are provided for both prosecution and defence lawyers, courts staff and judiciary in dealing with this emergency.”

It isn’t just organisations on the list that are taking action. According to Sunderland Global Media, the Dialysis unit at Sunderland Hospital plans to shut its doors early to allow staff to leave work before any potential unrest.

A hospital source told the outlet: “The dialysis unit at Sunderland and other outpatient treatment units are closing their doors early today.

“They’re bringing all patients’ appointment times forward and closing earlier than usual and getting all patients in for treatment and back out asap until everyone is finished and they have nobody else to give treatment to due to the fact staff are mostly non-UK nationality and many of which live within the (potential) protest areas of the town.

“They are genuinely worried and it’s causing a panic amongst the staff and confusing patients who don’t quite understand the situation.”