King praises police for dealing with rioters’ ‘aggression’

The king praised the bravery of police in the face of “aggression and criminality” during the wave of unrest, Buckingham Palace said.

King Charles spoke to police chiefs on Friday evening, praising their work in protecting communities.

He extended his “heartfelt thanks to the police and emergency services for all they are doing to restore peace to areas affected by violent unrest,” a palace spokesman said.

The King, who also spoke by telephone to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this evening, hoped that “shared values ​​of mutual respect and understanding will continue to strengthen and unite the nation”.

King Charles, currently in Scotland, spoke in a joint call with Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and UK Gold Commander Ben Harrington, chief constable of Essex Police, thanking police for their efforts and getting an update on the unrest.

“The King shared how greatly encouraged he was by the many examples of community spirit that countered the aggression and criminality of a few with the compassion and resilience of many,” a palace spokesperson said.

King Charles has long advocated building bridges between different faiths and cultures, calling Britain a “community of communities”.

But the king is not expected to make immediate visits to conflict zones until the unrest has subsided, with the initial response to the protests seen as the responsibility of the government, rather than the politically neutral monarch.

This follows a trend after the 2011 riots, during which Queen Elizabeth issued no messages but royal visits took place once calm had returned.

The king, then Prince Charles, later visited Tottenham and other affected areas to encourage community relations in the wake of the riots.

There has been criticism in recent days of the king’s lack of intervention.

“We are told that the monarch is supposed to be a figurehead who unites the nation, but when the nation is in crisis he is invisible,” said Graham Smith, leader of the anti-monarchy group Republic.

This claim was rejected by historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon, who said the king should not immediately become involved in debates over the riots.

“He is the head of state, and it is normal that, during the crisis, the head of government, the Prime Minister, takes care of crisis management and says what needs to be said.

“The time for the king to speak, if he ever does, will be when everything has calmed down,” Sir Anthony told the BBC.

Another practical sensitivity about carrying out immediate royal visits to riot-affected areas is the fear of adding pressure on police on the ground.