A charity which works with immigration lawyers has issued a statement addressing far-right attacks on migrants and 'intimidation' towards legal professionals.

The Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) is a professional association and registered charity, supporting barristers, solicitors and advisers who deal with all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law.

In the past week, incidents of vandalism, violence and looting have taken place across the country, with cars and buildings being burnt, projectiles, fireworks, bricks and missiles being thrown and police officers reporting injuries.

Far-right rioters, fuelled by anti-immigration sentiment, have targeted mosques, homes, businesses and hotels providing accommodation for migrants. 

The attacks come in the wake of the fatal stabbings of three young girls in Southport where 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, from Lancashire, has been charged in connection with the attack.

However, false claims spread on social media that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

Hundreds of far-right demonstrators took to the streets, chanting 'Enough is enough' and 'Save our children' while targeting migrants and Muslim communities.

Social media footage shows the 'thugs' used racist terminology, and some made Nazi salutes and set places on fire while looting from town centre shops.

A hotel that provides shelter for asylum seekers near Failsworth on Oldham Road, Newton Heath, was one of the places that was targeted.

The demonstrators could be heard shouting verbal abuse at migrants such as "go home" and "you're not welcome here".

On Sunday (August 4), fireworks, bottles and eggs were thrown at the 'Stand Up for Your Country: Enough is Enough' demonstration in Bolton where rioters faced counter-protesters in the town centre.

Greater Manchester Police separated the protesters and used powers to stop and search people in the area, and ask them to remove any face coverings.

In Blackburn, a planned demonstration, promoted by far-right agitator, Tommy Robinson, outside the town hall on Saturday (August 6) turned out to be a "non-event" with only a handful of people appearing.

The demonstration ended quickly without any incident.

In Accrington, mosque leaders urged members of its community not to engage with potential protesters. It comes after a law firm in the town, which specialises in immigration cases, appeared on a list of targets which could be hit by protesters that was shared on social media. 

The ILPA has now responded to the racist, anti-migrant violence and the targeting of immigration lawyers in a public statement.

The charity referred to a list that has been circulated amongst far-right groups and has contacted immigration firms and other organisations to "make them aware of the situation and of our recommended safety measures, and to extend our support and solidarity".

Its 4,000 members have received a checklist of safety measures, which include working from home where possible and reducing capacity to assist with in-person advice and meetings where clients' vulnerability is a factor.

It added: "It is important to acknowledge the disruptive nature of these riots to the provision of legal advice and the consequential impact this has on the justice system and the processing of applications and claims."

ILPA Legal Director, Zoe Bantleman, also said: "The recent far-right violence and riots may intend to divide us, to vilify migrants, people racialised as migrants, and those of us who represent them. 

"We will not bow to these tactics of intimidation.

"We will respond with solidarity, and it is that which strengthens the legal community in the face of adversity. 

"We may need to adapt our ways of working and we have encouraged members to take precautions to safeguard their well-being, but we will not be discouraged from doing our jobs: providing equal access to justice and upholding the rule of law."

Hazar El-Chamaa, Chair of ILPA’s Trustees, added: "Hostility towards immigration practitioners is sadly nothing new and has been fuelled, in recent years, by inflammatory rhetoric by certain politicians and parts of the media.

"However, the current escalation of far-right threats has taken things to a new level and is a matter of enormous concern, first and foremost for the practitioners themselves and their communities, but also for access to justice and the rule of law within the UK. 

"Our members are understandably apprehensive, and we have issued specific security advice as well as additional well-being support.

"However, the current climate cannot be allowed to continue; the Government must step up and change the harmful narrative on migration once and for all."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, praised the “robust and swift response” of the criminal justice system, adding that he expects the sentencing of some of those involved to take place by the end of the week.

After chairing his second Cobra meeting in two days, the Prime Minister said: “That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week.

“Nobody, but nobody, should be involved themselves in this disorder.”

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk