It’s August 2024 and a number of foreign countries are posting travel warnings after the outbreak of rioting – let’s not call it protest – across England and Northern Ireland.
What started with the murder of three children in Southport became a riot fuelled by misinformation and then disorder in more than a dozen towns.
The Civil Contingencies Act requires UK police, council, fire and rescue and NHS to warn and inform.
I’ve gathered toghether some content that has lanfded. It’s important to stress that it’s not always the eye catching that works. Yes, there’s some arresting footage of police body-warn cameras but there’s also some very straight forward meat and potato communication that scores well because it is timely.
But alonngside the messaging, don’t forget media relations.
The conviction and sentencing of those accused of taking part in disorder is now an important part of the process.
Justice must seen to be done to deter those who could take part in future disorder.
Here’s some that’s caught my eye.
Communicating the incident
X, formerly Twitter, still has a role in a breaking news situation. Wisely, Merseyside Police limited who can reply to the original message. A similar message on Facebook has been shared 350 times in seven days.
Communicating loss
After the deaths of the girls in Southport comes remembering and honouring their lives. Mersey and West Lancs Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.
And also Sefton Council on Instagram lighting up a civic building.
Communicating disorder
But as the situation spread to a far right-inspired riot in Southport and to other towns in England the situation became more charged. Merseyside Police shared some shocking bodyworn camera footage.
Communicating condemnation
In other towns there was condemnation of the trouble caused such as here, Rotherham Council. Sometimes, attractive content isn’t needed. The simple text of it works here.
Communicating arrests
Putting through the door of one of the suspects accused of taking part in the rioting in Sunderland. Face obscured to not jeopardise a future trial from Northumbria Police.
And body worn content showing the arrest of suspects – with faces obscured so as not to jeopardise their conviction.
Communicating recovery
It’s important to show the recovery phase. Here, the people of Sunderland turned out to help with the clean-up operation in the city centre after violence. This post from Sunderland City Council.
And here, Liverpool City Council didn’t hide the deep impact of the violence. Here, library staff on TikTok talk of their shock after their building was targeted.
Again, residents taking part in the clear-up posted by Hull City Council.
A simple picture of gifts thanking Cleveland Police officers who tackled trouble in Middlesborough gets huge reactions.
Communicating recovery from the residents
As much as the content from official channels is important – and it is – there’s certainly something to be said for sharing other recovery content. After all, this shows powerfully that the community are on the side of law and order.
Here, a Southport football player Jordan Lussey offers free coaching to kids from the town.
Don’t forget media relations
It’s also important to remember the role that traditional media plays in these moments and that their content is shared back online. Here, a Liverpool Echo piece is shared back into the Southport Community Facebook group.
And this from South Yorkshire…
And court reporting which is an important part in the process…
On the subject of media relations…
Alison Hernandez, police and crime commissioner for Devon gives a masterclass in communicating restrained anger and praise on BBC TV. It’s five minutes but worth the watch.
