Key points
- Starmer announces national policing unit to end 'violent disorder' after riots over Southport killings
- Exclusive:A network of anonymous TikTok accounts is attempting to cause unrest in UK cities
- Teenager accused of Southport murders named as Axel Rudakubana
- First confirmed photo of suspect - and what we know about him
- Judge explains 'exceptional' decision to reveal identity
- Two children discharged from hospital and others 'in stable condition'
- Explained:How false claims and speculation online spurred violence on streets
- Reporting by Lauren Russell
A network of anonymous TikTok accounts is attempting to cause unrest in UK cities
Exclusive bySam Doak,OSINT producer
Organisers responsible for encouraging people to attend the recent riot in Southport appear to be attempting to seed unrest in cities across the country through a network of anonymous TikTok profiles.
Prior to the riot, an anonymous TikTok account with the username @quercrqfi6j posted a number of inflammatory graphics calling for mass deportations, urging people to wear masks and directing people to assemble on Southport's Luke Road.
Content that first appeared on this TikTok account was then shared by larger accounts on X (formerly Twitter), where they were seen by a far larger audience.
Sky News has found a network of new accounts that resemble @quercrqfi6j.
All are new, and post similar content in an identical format to a post that originally appeared on the account.
All have posted at least one image consisting of red text boxes laid over a screenshot, ending messages with a series of fire emojis.
They appear to have been created to give the appearance they are run by people local to various cities across the UK, with all but one using a place name and various words relating to a group of men in their username.
One of these accounts follows the format of another @quercrqfi6j post, consisting of a message laid over a Google Maps screenshot with a location marked in red.
Sky News has identified five of these accounts in addition to @quercrqfi6j, each trying to incite turnout in cities across the UK.
While it is unclear who is behind these accounts, Sky News has identified a Telegram Channel which consistently reposts the content published through them.
The channel does so shortly after the TikTok posts are published, despite one account having zero followers and all being difficult to find through search.
This appears to indicate the owner of the channel has knowledge of the network.
From these posts, it appears that a single person or group is using deceptive tactics to replicate the riot in Southport in multiple cities.
Listen: How disinformation is fueling the far right
Earlier today, a judge made the "exceptional" decision to name the17-year-old suspect charged with the murder of three girls in the Southportstabbing attack,in an attempt toprevent further misinformation spreading online.
Reporting restrictions around the identification of a minor left an information vacuum into which disinformationspread, fuelling violence in towns across the country in recent days.
On tonight's Sky News Daily podcast, Liz Bates speaks to our data and forensics correspondent Tom Cheshire to explore how disinformation is spread online.
Joe Mulhall from advocacy group Hope Not Hate also explains the challenges of tackling the far-rightideology when it'snot identified with a specific group.
Listen to the full podcast here...
New court sketch of Axel Rudakubana released
A new court sketch of Axel Rudakubana has been released.
The image, created by court artistHelen Tipper, captures the 17-year-old with his shirt over his nose and mouth.
In another sketch created by Elizabeth Cook, the suspect was depicted with his head in his hands (see our 14.58 post).
Top cop calls for 'reinvestment in local policing' to prevent violent disorder
The chief constable of the National Police Chiefs' Council, Gavin Stephens, who attended a meeting of top officers in Downing Street, has called for "reinvestment in local policing".
Chief Constable Stephens told broadcasters after meeting the PM he welcomed the conversation about "how we pull together the coordination across UK policing".
'Now is the time to pull together'
On the rioters who've attacked police and communities in recent days, he had this to say...
"Whatever might motivate you to do that, it is not welcome in the communities that you've been to."
"You are just putting further pain and suffering on those families that are bereaved. And now is it time for us to pull together and get calm."
Asked how tensions can be calmed, he said the "immediate" action is ensuring there is a more visible police presence on the streets.
In the long-term, he called for "reinvestment in neighbourhood policing".
Police working to identify Aldershot protesters
Police are searchingfor protesters who began throwing objects and shouting racist abuse at a demonstration outside a hotel housing migrants in Aldershot, Hampshire, last night.
One officer was injured in the demonstration, which saw 200 people gather outsidePotters International Hotel around 6.45pm yesterday.
In an appeal for witnesses earlier this afternoon, a spokesperson for Aldershot Police said it was reviewing evidence from officers' body-worn cameras and CCTV.
"Our specialist teams are working hard to identify anyone who has committed a criminal offence and we will take swift and robust action against those people,"Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo said.
"It is totally unacceptable to turn [the right to protest] into criminal acts, including incidents of criminal damage, racial abuse and intimidation.
"This will not be tolerated in Hampshire and Isle of Wight."
Last night there was also disorder outside Downing Street, in Hartlepool, Manchester and Southend in Essex.
Analysis: Real test still to come if Starmer faces 'summer of riots'
By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent
Sir Keir Starmer was palpably angry as he laid into the "thugs" who attacked the same police in Southport who'd only the day before dealt with the horrific stabbings that left three girls dead.
But the focus today was on trying to get our police forces to better co-ordinate with each other to stave off possible future violence.
We have dozens of different forces across England, of various sizes, who often have to rely on each other.
Clearly the PM wants that co-operation to step up.
Interestingly, when asked if we could be facing a "summer of riots", there was recognition the violence we've seen was co-ordinated - and there is clearly concern within government that disorder might spread.
PM succeeds with message of reassurance - for now
But there was no talk about extra police powers, rather just the implementation of laws we already have.
There was a pretty strong warning for the social media companies, though, over the spread of conspiracy theories.
This was a prime minister who wanted to demonstrate his support for the police and lay into those behind the violence - and at a time like this, the public look to politicians for reassurance.
The PM tried to offer that today and largely succeeded, but the real test will be the ability to prevent and deal with any further violence in the days and weeks ahead.
The very best of humanity follows the very worst
By Sarah-Jane Mee, lead presenter who has reported from Southport this week
How do you find the words?
The first thing the people of Southport say to me when I talk to them about Monday's attack.
It's a question I asked myself on the drive to this beautiful seaside town on Merseyside.
But somehow in the face of unspeakable horror, the residents of Southport, with great compassion, dignity and eloquence, did find the words and spoke for the victims, their families and the wider community.
Arriving on Hart Street on Monday evening, I was met with what I can only describe as a scene of quiet devastation.
The horror of the attack may have ended some hours before, but the reality of what happened had barely begun to sink in.
Slowly, residents came out from their homes to the police cordon to bear witness, some started to bring flowers - at this point maybe five or six bunches of blooms and some handwritten notes.
What I saw over the course of the next few days was a visual representation of a community coming together in the face of tragedy that only grew as they suffered more bad news.
As one local resident told me, this place may be a small town but it is a big community.
The makeshift memorial at Hart Street became a carpet of flowers - six-foot deep in some places - with balloons, drawings from local children and cuddly toys… so many cuddly toys.
It may feel like a strange thing to fixate on, but the small gestures I saw happening carried big significance for the people here.
Families with children of a similar age to the victims coming along all together, bringing their favourite cuddly toy from their bedroom to leave for those little ones who died or were injured.
Some toys were still new with tags - you just knew the children had been to pick that exact one because they thought Bebe, Elsie and Alice would like it.
A reminder that but these were just little kids at a dance class.
A group of ladies from a nearby street came along to take the teddy bears away so that they wouldn't get wet in the rain overnight and brought them back first thing in the morning.
They displayed them with such care and thought - a demonstration of how this memorial, this spot, has become a symbol of strength and unity, and a place to grieve and find support.
These small acts of kindness have been happening all over the town, whether it's a local family coming out to offer a much needed cuppa; the nanas checking the police officers are okay for water and snacks; the local tradesmen rebuilding damaged front walls; children sweeping up debris with a dustpan and brush.
At this point, I have to reference the violence and disorder that began while we were on air Tuesday night.
I felt for Southport - living through one trauma and, within 48 hours, another coming to their doorstep.
I won't dwell on it here, again taking the community's lead - they want us to focus on the victims and their families and rightly so.
People told me what happened that night was not a representation of Southport or its people, with one woman saying she was quietly seething but would not show it because she she didn't want the rioters to win.
Again, local residents finding the words with such dignity and calm. It is so often that when we are confronted by the very worst of humanity, we also experience the best.
Starmer concludes news conference: Key takeaways
We've just heard from the prime minister following a roundtable with police chiefs in Downing Street.
Here are the key takeaways.
New violent disorder unit: Sir Keir Starmer announced a new national policing unit to end "violent disorder", which will include sharing intelligence, deploying facial recognition technology more widely, and using criminal behaviour orders to restrict the movement of some people.
Policing does not require more powers but the ability to use those officers already have, he said, though the prime minister added he would fast-track the recruitment of officers.
'Mindless thugs': He condemned "violent disorder" across the country, hitting out at a "tiny mindless minority" of "thugs" who bussed into Southport to attack police officers, as well as those who targeted mosques, threw flares at a statue of Winston Churchill and performed a Nazi salute at the Cenotaph.
Asked by Sky News if he would ban some far-right groups, the prime minister did not answer the question.
He also wouldn't comment onaccusations that Nigel Farage spread conspiracy theories about the Southport attack.
Social media blame: Social media bosses were put on notice that violence was being "whipped up" on their premises: "Inciting violence online is a criminal offence - that is not a matter of free speech."
Message to Muslims: Mr Starmer issued a message of reassurance to Muslim communities: "I will take every step that is necessary to keep you safe."
Starmer 'won't comment on motives' of Farage after conspiracy theory accusations
The Guardian asks the PM about accusations that Nigel Farage has been spreading conspiracy theories about the Southport attack.
Sir Keir Starmer says he won't "give a running commentary on the motives of other people".
"What I am saying is my focus is on the families, the victims who are at the heart of this, and I think that that should be the focus for everybody.
"And anybody who says or does anything that impedes their ability to get the justice that they deserve cannot claim to be acting in their best interests, because they're not."
PM questioned on inconsistencies in policing across country
Next to ask a question of the prime minister is ourchief political correspondent Jon Craig.
He asks how concerned he is about apparent inconsistencies of approach to disorder across different police forces.
He points to four arrests in Southport compared to more than 100 in Westminster, claims left-wing groups are treated less harshly than right-wing groups, and smaller forces not having access to the same resources as some others.
Sir Keir says consistency cannot be measured through arrests, but more broadly, the aim of the meeting with police chiefs this afternoon was to "pull together a national response" to the violence to ensure consistency and support.
He says the aim is to give support to forces "more quickly so they can react more robustly".
More broadly, Sir Keir wants to see more use ofcriminal behaviour orders to stop people intending to commit violence from travelling.
Jon also asks if he is considering banning some far-right group, as his deputy, Angela Rayner, suggested earlier this week - but the PM does not answer the question.
