How Southport attacker’s terror charge undermines trust in police

“The police were in a difficult position and I thought they handled it in a fairly simple and credible way,” says Andrew Chadwick, professor of political communication at Loughborough University. “They got (a statement) quickly. You could see they were trying to handle the situation and be as clear as possible without breaking the rules. But you could see the kind of agony they felt because they could see how incendiary this could become.”

Last week, an Ofcom report found a “clear link” between the social media posts and the violent disorder that followed. In an open letter, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes wrote: “Posts about the Southport incident and subsequent events from high-profile accounts reached millions of users, demonstrating the role that virality and algorithmic recommendations can play in generating divisive narratives in a time of crisis.” So far, since July 29, police have made a total of 1,590 arrests and laid a total of 1,015 charges, according to the National Police Chief’s Council. More than 200 people were convicted, most sentenced to prison, with an average sentence of two years.

A heated debate ensued over whether certain terms were disproportionate, fueled by the recent death of Peter Lyncha 61-year-old grandfather who is believed to have taken his own life in prison 10 days ago while serving a two-year-eight-month sentence for violent disorder.

“It’s clearly an incredibly difficult context for the police to manage,” adds Chadwick. “I think we’re moving towards a new type of resolution where the police are perhaps more confident in pursuing cases like this.” Part of the problem, he adds, is that social media sites increasingly incentivize users to prioritize clicks and eye time, even at the expense of accuracy. In particular, since Elon Musk bought Twitter, the platform he renamed X, he has pursued a strongly pro-free speech agenda, as well as introduced an ad-serving model where users can be paid for generating engagement.

“That kind of environment will make it difficult for the police to judge how things are going to play out,” says Chadwick. “Because people are encouraged not only to be a part of it, to enjoy it, but also to earn income. I think there needs to be a greater sense of responsibility.”