A video posted on social media from the anti-mass migration rallies in the UK over the weekend captured a police officer advising counter-protesters to get rid of their weapons to avoid facing legal repercussions. The incident occurred outside Darul Falah mosque in Hanley on Saturday amidst a series of anti-mass migration protests in the city that turned violent.
The Staffordshire Police liaison officer was filmed on a live stream on TikTok, addressing a crowd of men, believed to be a Muslim patrol group, following the counter-protests. The officer used a loudspeaker to suggest that the group should discard their weapons to avoid trouble with law enforcement. He reassured them that if they complied, there would be no need for arrests.
*Ngo later corrected his post to clarify the officer said “what I would not do is discard then at the mosque.”
“We will work with you guys for the best solution,” the officer is heard saying. “If there are any weapons or anything like that, then what I would not do is discard them at the mosque.”
“Don’t give anybody any reason to have any interaction with the police, so if there’s any weapons, get rid of them, we are not going to arrest anybody,” he added. “You don’t want us to make arrests or start dispersing people. Is that alright?”
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police acknowledged the video and said that they are investigating the incident, according to The Telegraph.
“We recognize that some footage shared on social media has gained traction and impacted on public confidence, particularly surrounding a protest liaison officer giving words of advice to a group in Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday,” the spokesman said. “We are actively reviewing this footage and all of the material available. We will address any lessons to be learned and assess whether the action taken was proportionate while we continue to reassure people in the local community.”
The emergence of “Muslim patrol” vigilante groups has been noted in response to anti-mass migration protests, which have taken place after a stabbing attack that resulted in the death of three school-aged girls. These groups have been seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” and attempting to confront protesters, leading to riot police making mass arrests at the protests.
