We can now bring you some lines from people who saw the demonstrations yesterday.

Sarah from Liverpool told BBC Radio 5's Stephen Nolan that she got caught up in the protests while she was in the city centre for an appointment. Sarah says she was with her family at the time.

"It was very quiet at the start, which is very unnatural for Liverpool," she says. "I felt in the air that something was going to kick off and if you had any sense, you’d get yourself out of the city centre."

Shops and bars starting closing early and police were warning people to leave the area, she adds.

Sarah says she saw two demonstrators wearing black criticising immigrants and police.

Ian from Belfast also witnessed the unrest in his city.

He says he and his wife found themselves in the thick of it by chance. He says he saw anti-fascist protestors and about 15 to 30 police vehicles parked nearby, plus anti-immigration demonstrators, some of them throwing flares and eggs.

"It was getting very nasty," he says.

Image source, pa

More now from policing minister Dame Diana Johnson.

She tells BBC Radio 5 Live that "violent disorder on our streets is not what this country is about".

Johnson reiterated that there will be "consequences" for those who "go out and attack our police officers, loot shops, destroy property and intimidate communities".

“We’re a democracy, we’ve always had people with different views, we’ve always had peaceful protests its part of our democratic DNA," she adds.

Reverend Marie-Anne Kent, of St Philip and St Paul with Wesley Church in Southport, says churches across the area will be open as a safe space for people.

She tells the BBC Breakfast programme "there's a lot of mixed emotions around - the anxiety the fear, the numbness the grief, everyone is welcome we need to be together at a time like this."

Kent adds that the focus should be on the "families and young people who have been traumatised by the events of Monday, and yet we've been overtaken by the violence".

She says "so many acts of kindness" have taken place in the community, with people bringing cakes and toast down to officers.

"Southport has really pulled together, and every act of kindness is saying we are against this hate, these acts of violence", Kent adds.

Violent Southport protests reveal organising tactics of the far-rightpublished at 10:45 British Summer Time 4 August

10:45 BST 4 August

Image source, PA Media

Recent unrest linked to protests reveals how far-right groups are organising in 2024.

Earlier this week after unrest in Southport, the BBC analysed activity on mainstream social media and in smaller public groups. This analysis revealed a clear pattern of influencers driving a message for people to gather for protests, without a single organising force at work.

Not everyone attending these protests or posting about the Southport attacks holds fringe views, supports rioting or has links to far-right groups. The protests also appeared to draw in people concerned about violent crime or misled by the misinformation that the attack was linked to illegal immigration.

Merseyside Police have publicly identified the English Defence League (EDL) as a key factor.

While there are people who describe themselves as EDL supporters, the organisation ceased to exist in any formal sense after its founder, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - who uses the alias Tommy Robinson - focused on spreading his message on social media platforms, where he has a sizeable following.

But its core ideas are very much alive and widely spread among sympathisers online.

• You can read more from BBC Verify’s analysis here.

The director of Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim incidents across the UK, says there has been an increase in reports from British Muslims expressing concerns for their safety.

Iman Atta tells BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme that people "are scared to go to their mosques" and she has received "many" reports of Muslim women being targeted in the wake of the unrest across the country.

“What we're seeing on our streets need to stop,” Atta says, adding “we need to call it out as it is".

She calls for social media companies to be held "accountable" and says so far, there have been a "few" MPs who have called out the racism in their constituencies.

“The message that comes from political leaders is key," Atta says.

Earlier this morning the policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, said that "people particularly are frightened because of the colour of their skin, and that cannot be right and that is something this government will take every action to deal with". Read more of her comments here.

Image source, EPA

Around 300 people were involved in "violent disorder" in the Walton area of Liverpool, police say.

Community facilities, including the recently opened Spellow Lane Library Hub and a convenience store, were set alight, external.

A fire engine was attacked and the police made 23 arrests.

Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss says the violence and damage caused in the area "is sickening" and calls for witnesses to come forward.

He adds: "Firefighters who attended to put out a fire at the Spellow Lane Library Hub were also confronted by the group who tried to prevent them putting out the fire. These actions are utterly despicable."

Goss says many involved were "young" and "probably local".

Image source, Lizzy Steel/BBC

Johnson, the policing minister, goes on to promise prompt arrests and prosecutions, saying there are "sufficient prison places" for criminal behaviour.

"People need to be aware there will be a knock at the door, they will be arrested," she says, referring to those involved in violent disorder.

The government is in talks with social media companies about the spread of misinformation that has stoked much of the violence around the protests, Johnson adds.

Johnson represents a constituency in Hull, which saw some of the worst disorder on Saturday. Protesters smashed a window at a hotel which has been used to house asylum seekers and set cars alight.

Speaking about that disorder, she says: "When I saw people looting some of the shops in the city centre, that's nothing to do with genuine protest or people having different opinions about immigration.

"That's about criminal behaviour that needs to be dealt with."

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson says recent unrest in the country is causing fear in some communities.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, Johnson says the government is "very clear" that it supports the police to take the action needed "to deal with these criminals on our streets, who are causing mayhem and disorder and frightening communities".

She adds that "people particularly are frightened because of the colour of their skin, and that cannot be right and that is something this government will take every action to deal with".

Johnson says it's been a tough week for the country and praises the police for doing their job, despite facing violence.

Protests were held in areas including Bristol, Belfast, Hull, Liverpool, Blackpool and Manchester on Saturday.

Image source, PA Media

The home secretary has warned that anyone who gets involved in “criminal disorder and violent thuggery” will “pay the price”.

In a post on X, external, Yvette Cooper says there could be "arrests, prosecutions penalties, and the full force of the law including imprisonment, travel bans, and more."

She adds arrests and charges have been made, "but we know that that will continue and the police have our full backing."

Cooper says it's important for communities to "feel safe on the streets".

The deputy national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales says the "abhorrent, senseless acts of violence" that took place yesterday are detracting officers from everyday policing.

Tiffany Lynch tells BBC's Breakfast programme that officers are being pulled from day-to-day policing to "protect" communities and while that is happening, "other victims of crime are not being investigated".

"We're not able to attend all the 999 calls because of what's happening," Lynch adds, saying officer morale and wellbeing is being affected by the riots and "we haven't got an infinite number of officers".

"On average, we have 140 officers injured every week - the risks they take are not everyday risks" she says.

Lynch calls for the government to provide longer term funding, compensation and "recognition" for the police.

Image source, Getty Images

We're re-starting our live coverage this morning after far-right demonstrations descended into disorder in towns and cities across the UK on Saturday.

More than 90 people were arrested in areas including Hull, Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast.

In some places, bricks were thrown, shops looted and police attacked.

In Liverpool, a few hundred anti-fascist demonstrators confronted around one thousand anti-immigration protesters, a number of whom were shouting Islamophobic slurs.

In Bristol, protesters and counter-protests were kept apart by riot police - while in Hull, protesters smashed a window at a hotel used to house asylum seekers.

Other smaller demonstrations elsewhere did not turn violent.

There have been other incidents of unrest across England following the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport on Monday.

Samuel Horti
Live editor

Image source, PA Media

The last few hours have been fast-moving, with continuing reports of protests and counter-protests in many city centres across the UK.

We've heard police forces in Hull and Liverpool a report small number of injured officers. We've also heard that some of the demonstrations – including in Liverpool – have ended for now.

Protests began this morning and were relatively small. In Portsmouth, for example, 300 protesters, some carrying placards with anti-immigration messages, gathered in Guildhall Square. They dispersed at 11:00 BST. We saw something similar in Blackburn, where a relatively small demonstration ended quickly.

There was no major disorder in these morning demonstrations, and police across the country said they were controlling the situation. That has remained true until now – but we have seen pockets of disorder.

In Belfast, for example, protesters outside a mosque threw objects at members of the media after smashing windows at a café. In Hull, protesters threw objects as a hotel housing asylum seekers – and in Manchester, photos showed scuffles between protesters and riot police.

We've seen a small number of arrests – in Manchester, Nottingham, Hull, and elsewhere.

In Liverpool and in other places, anti-immigration protests have been met with anti-fascist demonstrators. Police there struggled to keep the groups apart, and a number of police officers have been injured.

Now, some of the protests are starting to disperse, while others continue - and more are expected this evening. Continue reading our coverage here.

More now from Sir Keir Starmer, who met with senior ministers this afternoon to discuss current scenes of disorder in some towns and cities across the UK.

A Downing Street spokesman confirmed the PM began the meeting by thanking police for their response to violence in Sunderland which saw four officers injured on Friday night.

He ended by reiterating that the right to freedom of expression and the violent disorder we've been seeing "are two very different things" and all necessary action will be taken to keep the streets safe.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says police have his "full support" to take action against "extremists" attempting to "sow hate" by intimidating communities.

The PM is holding emergency talks with ministers over disorder in several cities across the UK.

More now from Cooper.

Asked what the government can do to stop the disorder, she says the police need to take the lead on operations where there has been violence, disorder and thuggery.

But the government will provide its full backing in making sure those responsible face the law, she says.

Some suspects have already been arrested and are in custody, with more arrests expected, she says.

People have "the right to feel safe", Cooper adds.

We can now bring you comments from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who in the last few moments has been speaking about the protests taking place in several cities in recent days.

She says that "criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain's streets". Police have the government's full backing in taking action against those engaging in "thuggery", she says.

Those people "will pay the price", she says.

Linsey Smith
Reporting from Leeds

The demonstrations in Leeds are dispersing, with the ‘Stand up to Racism’ protest finishing some time ago.

Organisers say "peace won" in the city, as many more individuals joined their protest than that of the far-right.

The day was tense but generally peaceful.

Three police officers are believed to have been injured during disorder in Hull city centre, Humberside Police say.

Four people have been arrested.

"Officers will remain deployed and will continue to deal with antisocial behaviour and disorder and a road closure remains in place whilst officers continue to manage the incident," the force said.

"At this stage, three officers are believed to have suffered injuries.

"Our officers have faced eggs and bottles being thrown and have made four arrests relating to public order offences.

"We have also issued a dispersal order for the area and there will remain a visible police presence as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those in the community."