Arrests made in raids following Middlesbrough violence

“Some of these people potentially may try to escape.”

Supt Marc Anderson is the kind of plain-speaking copper you might expect as District Commander, Middlesbrough for Cleveland Police.

It’s early doors at their HQ. But not desperately so. A last 07.45 briefing to ten arrest teams on Operation Macadamia: nick anyone suspected of involvement with Aug 4th in ‘Boro.

Rows of officers, stab vests on, earpieces in, radios tuned to the correct channel, can’t wait to get out there.

Because Supt Anderson has this to say about Sunday August 4th in the town:

“I was Silver Commander on the 4th of August and never in 30 years have there been scenes like that in Middlesbrough. What the community had to put up with that day was totally unacceptable.”

Several thousand anti-immigration marchers headed to the town centre that day. Given scores arrived wearing masks they seemed intent on attacking the police and property.

I walked with them from the initial rally and violence erupted within minutes of the march beginning.

Several hours ensued in which at least one car was set alight; scores damaged and window after window smashed in – often by kids as well as adults.

Since then police have been combing CCTV, endless video has been sent in from people’s phones and no doubt media coverage too.

Here’s the Operation Commanding Officer DCI Sarah Robinson:

“If you’re involved in disorder on that day we will identify you. We will arrest you and will put you before the court.”

So it was that police transits snaked out of HQ on the southern fringe of Middlesbrough today and began their breakfast time calls.

A few hedges and garden walks to be jumped. Doors knocked :

“Police! It’s the police. Open up.”

They had a 100% strike rate on our team. First up a 43 year old woman and her 23 year old son suspected of violent disorder.

He came quietly – she yelled at the media to stop filming her. No doubt unaware that for legal reasons we can’t show her face. She is also innocent in law of course. The court, not police, determine guilt.

Hence the image blobs on TV.

By the end of the day 14 arrested from age 11 to 43. Police said 42 were arrested on the day of the unrest itself making it the highest figure for on-day arrests of all the English disturbances.

Nationally over 1100 have been arrested with more than 700 charged – those figures will increase and fast.

The government, the Prime Minister, the courts and the police all agree that the pincer movement of swift public police action and court proceedings put paid to trouble on the streets.

A lesson learned.