Displaying items by tag: law and order

Thursday, 04 March 2021 20:46

Gang and knife crimes

The Office of National Statistics reported overall crime rates have declined in 12 months, but there was a sharp rise in drug offences and anti-social behaviour. Knife crime is at its highest recorded level, having doubled in just six years. It soared by 25% after the first lockdown was eased last summer, sparking concerns of an 'eruption' of violence once current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. Pray for policing minister Kit Malthouse and all working to stop senseless bloodshed as restrictions are eased. With rising unemployment and poor job prospects, some young people are finding it hard to believe in a positive future. Many see no alternative but to turn to illegal and dangerous ways of making money, and carry knives to protect themselves.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 04 March 2021 20:42

Lawlessness and disorder

Around half of police stations in the UK have been closed over the past decade. At least 667 stations with front counters allowing the public to speak with officers have been shut since 2010 to reduce costs. The Home Office said there are ‘a range of reasons’ behind the closures, including a rise in the use of online crime reporting instead of members of the public approaching police at a station counter. David Lammy, shadow secretary of state for justice, said over half of Britain’s police stations have closed in ten years, and more than half of the courts in England and Wales are closed. He accused the Conservatives of causing lawlessness and disorder.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 04 March 2021 20:31

Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon feud

A former Labour first minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish, has criticised the Scottish Government for a failure of responsibility over its unlawful handling of sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond, and branded it ‘bizarre’ there had been no resignations. Conservatives had already declared Nicola Sturgeon guilty and wanted her to resign before she gave evidence on 3 March. There are still significant issues to be resolved and concerns about the ability of the committee investigating the government’s actions to complete its work before parliament breaks for the election campaign on 25 March.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 04 March 2021 20:05

Nigeria: kidnapping scourge

The 2014 kidnap of 276 Chibok schoolgirls brought global attention to raids on schools in Nigeria. Now criminals are making money with copycat crimes. Nearly 300 girls were kidnapped from a boarding school last week, then released four days later after a ransom was paid. One girl said, ‘Most of us got injured, and we could not carry on walking. They said they would shoot anybody who did not continue walking. We walked across a river and they let us sleep under shrubs in a forest.’ Their release was secured through negotiations between government officials and the abductors. Kidnapping for ransom is a widespread criminal enterprise. Both rich and poor are seized by gunmen on almost a daily basis. Security personnel have also been held. The aim is to secure someone's release by raising funds from friends and relatives - or even selling their assets.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 25 February 2021 21:36

Government must stop extremists avoiding prosecution

The Commission for Countering Extremism has called on the Government to close a loophole that has allowed individuals to spread extremist ideologies and views online without any repercussions or fear of prosecution. The commission’s recommendation was made after a legal review into the adequacy of existing legislation to combat the issue of hateful extremism was conducted by Sir Mark Rowley, a retired senior police officer in charge of UK Counter Terrorism policing. ‘Extremist groups whether neo-fascist, neo-Nazi, Islamist or others are able to operate lawfully, freely and with impunity,’ lead commissioner Sara Khan warned. Without action from the Government, hateful extremists will continue to be able to create ‘a climate conducive to hate crime, terrorism or other violence and will be able to attempt to prod and even destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of our democratic society’. See

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 28 January 2021 20:45

Suspicious package sent to Covid vaccine factory

Police have detained a 53-year-old man from Chatham after a suspicious package was sent to a Covid-19 vaccine factory in north Wales. He remains in custody as enquiries continue. However, the police said in a statement that there is no evidence to suggest there is an ongoing threat.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 28 January 2021 20:29

Tunisia: youth protests sweeping country

A growing groundswell of youth unrest, tapping into a well of economic frustration, is sweeping Tunisia, the country which triggered the 2011 ‘Arab Spring’. A third of the nation’s young people are unemployed. Many are angry about their poverty. Since 14 January they have taken to the streets in violent marches. There have been 1,000 arrests, and the army has been deployed in four hot spots. Protest groups are growing in size and are out in force every night staging simultaneous, often-violent demonstrations: pelting municipal buildings with stones, throwing Molotov cocktails, looting, vandalising, and clashing with police in poor, densely populated districts. By 24 January hundreds more were protesting against police repression, chanting, ‘No more fear, the streets belong to the people’ and ‘The people want the fall of the regime’ - popularised during the Arab Spring. They also called for the release of hundreds of protesters detained recently. See

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 10 December 2020 20:30

Anti-semitic knife attack at M&S

A 57-year-old Muslim man has been arrested after stabbing two women in a Marks and Spencer store in Burnley. During the attack the man shouted anti-Semitic expletives. Whilst police say it is not being treated as a terror attack, a counter-terror team is investigating whether the double stabbing had a jihadist element. The injuries to the two women are serious but not life-threatening. Jewish News reports that the Community Security Trust, a charity charged with defending Jews in Britain, is working with police, but revealed few further details. The police said, ‘We recognise that this incident will have caused concern in the community. We have a dedicated team of officers and staff carrying out enquiries and extra patrols.’

Published in British Isles

An inspection found that England's second-largest police force had failed to record over 80,000 crimes in a year, and closed cases without proper investigation. About 220 crimes a day went unrecorded in the year up to June 2020. The inspectors said their service to victims of crime was a ‘serious cause of concern’. One in five of all crimes and one in four violent crimes reported were not recorded. Officers prematurely closed investigations because the victim did not support police action. Inspector Zoe Billingham said, ‘In too many cases the force did not properly record evidence, particularly in domestic abuse cases: seven in 10 were closed on this basis. Despite being urged in 2016 to improve, concerns have not been addressed. In their defence the police force said the inspection coincided with a troubled computer system and challenges during the Covid lockdown’. A further inspection will take place after six months.

Published in British Isles

Famed Christian geneticist Francis Collins has urged churches to remain closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 amongst congregations. Speaking to the Southern Baptist Convention, Collins said that churches gathering in person are a ‘source of considerable concern’ because of the potential for ‘super-spreading’. Meanwhile the US Supreme Court ordered a federal district court to reconsider its support for restrictions on indoor religious services in California. The restrictions are being contested in several other American courts by Christians insisting their liberties are being infringed. Collins also urged Christians to reject the idea that mask requirements ‘invade your personal freedom’. He said, ‘This is a lifesaving device. When you put on that mask, you're protecting yourself from other people, but mostly you're protecting them from you. You're doing the unselfish, loving thing of saying, “I'm going to protect people from me”. That's a Christian action if ever I've heard one.’

Published in Worldwide
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