Police criticised over response to summer riots which saw Manvers hotel attacked

The report follows an investigation ordered by the Home Secretary into the violence at the Manvers Holiday Inn and other locations nationally, which which resulted from the fatal attack on children in Southport.

It acknowledges that police “faced many unpredictable seats of violent disorder that were fuelled by social media” but found that the National Police Chiefs Council “should have activated its national mobilisation plan on Friday 2 August.”

That was two days before the Manvers incident, which left around 60 officers injured, residents and staff at the hotel in fear, and dozens of offenders who would go on to face jail for their actions, including some convicted of arson.

The report, by Andy Cooke, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, was critical of the police service nationally, stating: “Regrettably, this review highlights that the police service hasn’t learned all the lessons it should have from previous incidents of disorder.

“It is clear that the police service has missed opportunities to prepare for times when it has to deal with widespread disorder.”

Mr Cooke said police should have been influenced by earlier incidents this year and in 2023, involving ‘extreme nationalist sentiment, aggravated activism or serious disorder.’

Those incidents included ‘disorder linked to asylum seekers’ in Rotherham, associated with the same hotel.

Plans had been in place to mobilise police resources nationally on August 2, said the report, but that was not done until after the Manvers disturbance.

The report found “with hindsight, the National Police Chiefs’ Council decision to implement the national mobilisation plan was made too late.”

“We don’t underestimate how difficult it is to make the decision to mobilise police officers across the UK.

“It has significant operational financial and personal impacts. It is an exceptional measure,” said Mr Cooke.

That finding had been accepted by senior officers interviewed for the report, it said.

Part of the problem was a “fragmented” process of gathering intelligence about planned disorder reduced the police’s ability to gather information.

The report recommends the NPCC, College of Policing and Home Office should work to improve the police service’s capability to respond to widespread violent disorder.