Senior cops were warned about threat of immigration riots a year ago in secret intelligence report
SENIOR police officers were warned about immigration riots a year ago in a secret intelligence report, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
Cops identified the threat from newly-formed far-right groups but thought criminal activity would be low.
They wrote: “The majority of protest groups are increasingly reluctant to commit criminality at street level.”
The report by the National Police Coordination Centre, seen by The Sun on Sunday, was led by the chief constable of Essex police, BJ Harrington, who is the national lead for public order.
It includes intelligence about the threat from cultural nationalism (CN) groups to immigration centres.
The report said: “Anti-immigration protest is almost certain to continue.
“Localised tensions around the use of designated or repurposed accommodation has a realistic possibility of galvanising CN activity. The result of the so-called ‘Rwanda Appeals’ hearing will likely have an impact on CN activity.”
It added: “Cultural Nationalism (CN) groups and activists are highly likely to pursue anti immigration narratives, with asylum-seeker accommodation likely to remain their primary focus.
“It is also likely any developments in the UK Government plans to transfer asylum applicants Rwanda will serve to ignite CN sentiment, but also spark counter-protest activity by anti-fascist groups.
“Media – whether mainstream and/or social – reporting on offences committed or alleged to have been committed by asylum seekers, is likely be exploited by CN groups.
“Local concerns over the repurposing of hotels or previous military sites into accommodation for asylum applicants continue to result in oppositional protests at these locations.”
The intelligence report also looked at concerns about drag queen events.