Police have said they will find and arrest those involved in so-called 'anti-immigration' demonstrations across the county over the weekend.

Lancashire constabulary said it had made 22 arrests over Saturday and Sunday. Twenty of those people were arrested in Blackpool, one person was arrested in Blackburn and another in Preston.

Yesterday, Blackpool saw periods of disorder, whilst Preston and Blackburn were subject to a small disruption, police said.

Of the 22 detained, 18 have been released on police bail, one has been released under investigation, and three remain in custody.
Dispersal orders were issued in parts of Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn over the weekend.

Deputy Chief Constable Sam Mackenzie, said: “Whilst a number of people have been arrested our enquiries into the criminality on Saturday continues. We have a dedicated team reviewing CCTV and I expect there to be further arrests.

“To anyone else who was committing these offences, let this be a message to you: we will identify you, we will find you, and we will bring you to justice.

“The scenes in Blackpool yesterday by those intent on causing disorder will not be tolerated. People should be allowed to enjoy their town and city centres without the threat of violence or disruption.

“Those arrested come from Lancashire so for some reason it is local people who seem intent on causing harm to their own communities. This has nothing to do with legitimate protest or the tragic events of last Monday.

“To the members of our communities affected: thank you for your patience and understanding whilst our officers responded to the disruption. We will continue to put public safety first and we are grateful for your support.”

Across the North west, there was a large disturbance and clashes in Bolton town centre on Sunday. Greater Manchester Police issued a Section 60AA order, requiring people to “remove face coverings used to disguise or conceal their appearance”.

Downing Street is expected to hold a Cobra emergency response meeting on Monday after “thugs” tried to storm hotels housing asylum seekers on the sixth day of escalating disorder.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed rioters would “regret” engaging in “far-right thuggery” and promised those involved in unrest would “face the full force of the law” as he addressed the nation on Sunday.

Monday’s meeting is due to involve relevant ministers and police representatives who will discuss the response in the coming days to ensure there is no repeat of the violent scenes.

The Home Office announced on Sunday that mosques would be offered greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.

Sir Keir said he wanted those who “feel targeted because of the colour of their skin” to know “this violent mob do not represent our country”.

In his message to rioters, the Prime Minister said: “I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves.”