An elite police unit established earlier this year has flagged more than 100 social media posts to local law enforcement agencies, according to figures released under freedom of information laws. The National Internet Intelligence Investigations (NIII) team was created by the government in the wake of the 2024 Southport riots, which saw national unrest reportedly amplified by social media.
The unit's establishment followed disturbances in Southport after the murders of three young girls. In the absence of immediate official information about the perpetrator, social media circulated unverified claims that he was a Muslim asylum seeker, fueling immigration concerns.
Since the NIII team began its work in February, it has made 106 referrals of what it terms 'protest related activity online' to local police forces. The figures were published by The Telegraph newspaper.
When the unit was announced last year, then policing minister Dame Diana Johnson stated it would provide "a dedicated function at a national level for exploiting internet intelligence to help local forces manage public safety threats and risks." However, critics, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, have voiced concerns about its implications for democratic freedoms.
"This is the beginning of the state controlling free speech. It is sinister, dangerous and must be fought," Farage stated at the time of the unit's announcement.
In June alone, during unrest in Southampton over the police's handling of the murder of Henry Nowak, the NIII team made 50 referrals. The disturbances in Southampton occurred after police bodycam footage emerged showing officers mistakenly arresting and handcuffing Nowak as he was dying, following a false complaint from the perpetrator.
Police have declined to provide specific details about the flagged posts, citing an exemption related to the prevention and detection of crime. A statement from the NIII team indicated that the unit is still in its early stages of establishment.
The National Police Coordination Centre stated that the unit "supports policing's understanding of protest-related activity in the online environment by developing a broader picture of emerging, potential risks." It aims to provide strategic insight and improve awareness of protest-related developments relevant to policing, fostering a coordinated understanding at regional and national levels.
