London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lawyers have urged ministers to address grave concerns about their security after it emerged far-right groups were preparing to target immigration advice camps in the coming days.
How Are Far-Right Groups Threatening Immigration Advice Centres?
The Law Society and Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) expressed their members were at stake after a list of 60 immigration centres was spread on Telegram with a message indicating they should be the target of protests.
Politicians such as Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Sarah Sackman also presented concerns about immigration guidance centres being called in their constituencies of Walthamstow and Finchley, stating they were in touch with police about the security of residents.
What Security Measures Are Being Implemented for Immigration Advice Centres?
It came as police chiefs expressed an extra 2,200 riot-trained officers would be deployed to fight the violence that has erupted across England and Northern Ireland since last week, police chiefs announced. Police chiefs have chosen to dramatically increase the number of riot officers deployed, with violence persisting.
How Are Police Preparing for Increased Far-Right Violence?
They are also prepared for potentially 30 different protests planned and are assessing the credibility of an online paper listing targets, many of which are related to immigration and asylum. Nearly 4,000 riot officers have already been deployed across England and Wales. Some encountered violence in their force site, and some were sent to assist other forces that were under strain over the weekend.
In total, there are 18,000 specially qualified public order or riot officers in England and Wales. The decision to expand the number deployed represents 30% of the total that will be deployed. A police source stated the number would be adjusted up or down, as the condition develops. Rehearsals were underway to deal with more trouble.
What Concerns Have Been Raised About the Safety of Immigration Lawyers?
Nick Emmerson, the president of the Law Society of England and Wales, stated the legal body had “serious problems about the safety and wellbeing of our members following names and addresses of several solicitors’ firms and advice mechanisms being shared on a list of targets for further demonstration and violence this week”.
Emmerson stated he had written to Keir Starmer, the prime minister, Shabana Mahmood, the lord chancellor, and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, requesting that the threats against the legal profession be regaled with the utmost seriousness. “A direct attack on our legal profession is a direct attack on our democratic values and we are helping our members who are being targeted,” he said.
Hazar El-Chamaa, the chair of trustees at the ILPA, expressed the group stood in solidarity with immigrants and called on the government to help lawyers perform their professional obligations by “representing and supporting the human rights of migrants and those targeted established on their appearance, without worry for our safety”. “Where our security is endangered as a result of carrying out our basic and proper function in a democracy, the government and law enforcement agents should investigate and observe threats to our safety,” the letter said.