mark rowleymet policetwo-tier policingUK riotsWest Midlands police

As an inescapable wave of accusations of “two-tier policing” crashes over social media, it’s been a day full of own goals for British police forces.

First, there was a video from West Midlands Police Superintendent Emlyn Richards. When asked by Sky News why there wasn’t a larger police presence when “crew covering the unrest in Birmingham were followed by a man holding a knife and wearing a balaclava after broadcasting live,” Richards said police had been liaising with “business and community leaders” and the response was “commensurate” with the “intelligence” given to the police.

Then a video from Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, opened with the phrase “Salam Alaikum”, an Islamic religious salutation, and he signed off with “Shukran”, Arabic for “thank you”.

Next came a frankly bizarre video from the Superintendent of Oldham police. Trying to ease community tensions, the Superintendent sat in front of a row of standing Muslim community leaders and elders. If anything, it looked more like a hostage video than a police update.

Met Police chief Mark Rowley called two-tier policing accusations “nonsense”, while also warning that keyboard warriors are “not safe from the law”. Everything’s under control then…