South Yorkshire Police Chief Admits “Insufficient” Response to Manvers Hotel Riot

The police chief for South Yorkshire commended her officers’ “superhuman” efforts during the summer riots, though she stated that, in retrospect, she would have “done things differently.” On August 4, over 60 officers sustained injuries when violence erupted at a hotel in Manvers, close to Rotherham, which was accommodating asylum seekers. During her address to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Chief Constable Lauren Poultney explained that the force had anticipated a peaceful protest. However, once disturbances began, it became “apparent very quickly” that the number of officers deployed was “insufficient.” She informed MPs, stating: “Knowing what we know now, of course there are things we would have done differently.” Ms. Poultney was among four chief constables who testified before the committee on Tuesday regarding their handling of the rioting that occurred throughout the UK following the deaths of three girls in Southport. She detailed how officers encountered “significant risk” while managing the unrest in Manvers, where individuals involved in the riot breached the hotel, ignited fires, and threw projectiles at police. In the course of the meeting, Jake Richards, the Labour MP for Rother Valley, questioned whether the force ought to have dispatched additional officers to the location, considering incidents in other cities in the preceding days. Ms. Poultney responded by stating: “Based on what we knew at the time, those that devised the command structure were confident that it was the right level, but of course knowing what we know now, there are things we would consider and do differently.” She indicated that initial police intelligence suggested “it would be a peaceful protest and that is what all the social media we saw suggested it as well.” Nevertheless, she informed the committee: “It became apparent very quickly, as the events escalated, that this would be insufficient to maintain safety at the location and our absolute priority was to protect life and preserve the life of people there and people inside the hotel.” She further elaborated that officers ultimately worked “some really long, hard hours and they were at significant risk from people who were intent on causing harm to them.” She concluded: “But, there were some incredibly acts of bravery that day, I’m incredibly proud of the police officers’ work that they did and there was some superhuman effort by them.” To date, over 60 men have received jail sentences for their involvement in the disturbance outside the hotel, with an additional 400-plus individuals sentenced in other parts of the country. The most extensive prison term, nine years, was given to Thomas Birley, 27, from Swinton, South Yorkshire. He admitted guilt to charges of arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder, and possession of an offensive weapon, related to his conduct as part of the crowd at the hotel. Highlights from South Yorkshire are accessible on BBC Sounds, the most recent episode of Look North can be viewed, or potential stories for coverage can be submitted. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on our external linking policy are available.