“It has been devastating to witness the violence and disorder across our country in the past weeks following the tragic murder of three young girls in Southport. The appalling racism and Islamophobia that has been shown has led to many people living in fear. This cannot and will not be tolerated. It is not who we are, we are better than that. We want everyone in our communities to feel safe and be safe with no exceptions.

“I fully support the democratic right we all have to engage in lawful and peaceful protest. So far in York and North Yorkshire, there has been an orderly approach to protests and North Yorkshire Police must be supported in their role to uphold our democratic rights, whilst ensuring the safety of our communities.

“However, members of the public may well have seen things in the news and circulating rumours on social media about protests across York and North Yorkshire in the coming days. Disinformation has been a huge driver of the violence we’ve seen in the recent days and increases fear for many people in our communities. I ask everyone to please pay special attention to what you read, share, and believe from online sources. We all have a part to play in tackling this. It’s important that we remain calm, and proportionate.

“I want to take this opportunity to recognise and thank both police and fire colleagues across the country, who sacrifice so much in these difficult times to keep communities safe. It is so important that we support them as they carry out their duty. Violence and disorder of any kind will not be tolerated and perpetrators of such acts in our region will feel the full force of the law.

“At times like this, it is more important than ever that we are united. Together, we can ensure that York and North Yorkshire remains a safe place and that the warm spirit of our local communities is experienced by everyone.

“If you have any concerns or any information to share, please contact North Yorkshire Police via their website or by calling 101. For emergencies the number is 999.”

Published on Thursday 8 August 2024