Prisons overcrowded

Brits don’t know what to do with right-wing rioters

(Bild: AP/PA Wire)

Hundreds of rioters are facing prison sentences because of the right-wing riots in the UK. But the prisons are overcrowded. The government has therefore launched an emergency plan.

Under "Operation Early Dawn", defendants can be held in police custody until a place in prison becomes available.

Normally, they are immediately brought before a district court, where a judge then imposes pre-trial detention. The measure initially came into force for parts of northern England, according to the government.

Wild riots, many arrests
There were days of serious riots and attacks on police officers in several British cities across the country. The police arrested more than 1000 people.

There were serious riots throughout the country.(Bild: AP/Owen Humphreys)

This was preceded by a knife attack on a Taylor Swift dance class in the town of Southport. Three girls were killed and several children were injured. A false report spread on social media that the perpetrator was a Muslim migrant. In fact, the 17-year-old suspected of the crime was born in the UK to Rwandan parents.

Government sees responsibility with predecessor
The Social Democratic government blamed its Conservative predecessor for the poor conditions in prisons. "We have inherited a justice system that is in crisis and subject to shocks," said the responsible Secretary of State James Timpson. "We were therefore forced to make difficult but necessary decisions to keep it running."

In order to reduce the pressure on the overcrowded prisons, the government had previously announced that some prisoners would be released after serving 40 percent of their sentence. The usual rule is 50 percent. The transitional arrangement does not apply to offenders serving time for terrorism, sexual offenses, domestic violence or serious violence.