Children joined riots for the ‘thrill’, report says

Children who took part in riots last summer were primarily driven by curiosity and the “thrill of the moment”, rather than far-right ideology and social media misinformation, the children’s commissioner for England has said.

Deep distrust in the police and a lack of opportunities were also behind some children’s decisions to take part, a new report suggests.

Violence broke out across the country in the days and weeks following the murders of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July 2024.

A government spokesperson said the mobilisation of the police and criminal justice system to bring perpetrators of all ages to justice was vital in restoring order.

Dame Rachel de Souza said her interviews with children who had been charged over the disorder “paints a more complex picture” about why they became involved.

The children’s commissioner’s findings come a week after Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe.

He was sentenced to 52 years in prison for the “meticulously planned rampage” in which 10 other people, mostly children, were also stabbed on 29 July last year.

False rumours had spread online in the hours after the attack that the perpetrator had been a migrant, and a violent protest took place close to the scene the following day.

Riots in which mosques and hotels housing migrants were attacked soon spread to many other towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violence at the time as “far-right thuggery” and promised that those involved would “face the full force of the law”.

The children’s commissioner’s report said at least 147 children had been arrested and 84 charged since the riots, with some as young as 12 sentenced over their involvement.

Dame Rachel said her interviews with 14 of those “unheard and overlooked” children “raise some really serious questions about childhood in England and why our children feel so disaffected and disempowered”.

However, she said her report “does not excuse criminality”.

“As children’s commissioner, it’s my duty to listen to children, regardless of their circumstances,” she said.

“The harm caused by these children’s actions is undeniable. Many – but not all – of the children acknowledged the need for accountability and consequences for their actions.

“Today’s findings offer no simple solutions but paints a more complex picture than has been debated following the riots. However, it is one that we must grapple with in order to create a more positive experience of childhood.”

Her report suggested that previous negative interactions and a deep-seated mistrust of the police had fuelled the actions of children, who viewed the riots as an opportunity to retaliate against the police.

Poverty and a lack of opportunities in their communities also formed the background of their involvement, the report said.

Dame Rachel criticised the “unusually severe and swift” charges which followed the riots, which she said overlooked children’s potential for rehabilitation.

She added that variation between regions in terms of children’s outcomes amounted to a “postcode lottery” for those who became involved with the youth justice system.

A government spokesperson said: “The senseless violence we saw on our streets after the tragic loss of Bebe, Elsie and Alice brought shame to our nation, and the mobilisation of our police and entire criminal justice system to bring perpetrators of all ages to justice was vital in restoring order. There is no justification for the violence which they endured last year.

“More widely, work is taking place across government – underscored by our Plan for Change – to break down the barriers to opportunity and ensure that every child has the best start in life.”