Shocking statistics have emerged this week, tying more than four in 10 people arrested during the UK riots in 2024 to previous acts of domestic abuse. The figures, sourced from a Freedom of Information Request filed by The Guardian, came from 21 different police forces.
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The link between domestic abusers and UK riots exposed
In total, 899 people were arrested for disorder across 27 towns and cities last summer. Acts of vandalism and the destruction of public property were reported nationwide. Meanwhile, some rioters attempted to burn down a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.
From that entire cohort, 41% of all suspects detained during the civil unrest have all been reported to the authorities for domestic abuse, with charges ranging from stalking to actual bodily harm. A 26-year-old from had previously been convicted for punching his ex-girlfriend.
Which areas have the worst numbers?
The data from Bristol also makes for a fairly tough read. From the 60 arrests that were recorded in July-August 2024, more than two-thirds had a domestic abuse report filed against them. Figures from Rotherham, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool also exceeded the average.
The disturbances, sparked in the wake of the Southport attack in which three young girls were stabbed to death, lasted for about a week before eventually being quelled. Scores of people who took part in the violence were consequently handed jail sentences.
A year after UK riots, tensions continue to simmer
Last week, protests outside an asylum hotel in Epping threatened to boil over. Hundreds of demonstrators turned up to the venue, after one occupant was arrested for sexual assault. Figures from the far-right have also showed up to the demos, putting the community at unease.
Similar protests have taken place in Leeds and Ashfield within the last 48 hours, but on a much smaller scale than anything seen last summer. The government remains on high alert for any further disturbances in the coming weeks.