POLICE Scotland are to send 120 officers to Belfast to help deal with violent riots next week.
Jon Boutcher, chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) claimed his officers are worn out and unable to “stand alone to deal with disorder like this anymore.”
Ten officers were injured and 23 people were arrested over five nights of rioting and disorder in Northern Ireland.
The PSNI warned of spontaneous protests as well as potential chaos at scheduled events this weekend.
The West BelfastFestival and the Apprentice Boys of Derry parade are scheduled to take place.
Police Scotland said it had received a “number of requests for mutual aid” from a variety of UK forces ahead further riot trouble.
PSNI’s assistant chief constable Melanie Jones confirmed that 120 Scottish officers will be deployed next week.
The BBC reports, she said it would provide the force with “vital additional resilience” to deal with disorder.
The protests have been sparked by incorrect claims an asylum seeker was responsible for killing three young girls in Southport.
A spokesperson said: “Mutual aid requests are always balanced against the needs of policing in Scotland.
“As a national service, Police Scotland has the ability to flex resources where the need is greatest in order to keep people safe.”
It comes after First Minister John Swinney called for “immediate action” to tackle misinformation and hateful material by social mediacompanies such as Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, TikTok and X.
We recently told how tech billionaire Elon Musk continued his online spat with former First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Musk today branded ex-First Minister Humza Yousaf “super, super racist” as the two continued their spat.
The X/Twitter owner responded to the ex-SNP leader’s comments that he is “one of the most dangerous men on the planet” and uses his cash for “wicked evil”.