Deputy PM condemns thugs during visit to South Yorkshire riot hotel

She said throwing missiles and attacking hotels was "not the way we do politics" in this country as she visited the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers, Wath, where clean-up efforts are ongoing after Sunday’s riot which saw more than 50 police injured when yobs attacked them with bricks, fence panels and fireworks.

"Coming on the streets throwing missiles at the police, attacking police, attacking hotels like this one is not a legitimate grievance," she said.

"It's not the way we do politics in this country and nobody should be condoning that."

Ms Rayner confirmed more than 140 people had been charged so far in connection with the riots across the UK.

"It's right that our courts deal with that and we've said that we will support the courts and will support the police in carrying out their duties," she added.

"But people need to understand that if you throw missiles, if you attack people, if you incite hatred and violence, whether that's online, or whether you're offline, you will be met with the law because it is unlawful."

Ms Rayner, accompanied by communities minister Jim McMahon and housing minister John Healey, said what happened at the Rotherham hotel was "not our British values"

Ms Rayner said the public in South Yorkshire had been "afraid and scared" by people "shouting racist abuse, shouting abuse and hurling missiles at police" during the weekend's violence.

She condemned the "criminality and thuggish behaviour" that had put "lives at risk".

Moving forward, the Deputy Prime Minister explained the number one priority was to keep people and streets safe.

"The prime minister has set out how we're deploying police and how we're making sure that we're working with social media companies on the online situation as well," she said.

Ms Rayner asked people to "move away" from and not get involved in online material designed to stir up disorder.

"I hope that the public and anyone who sees what is happening online, that they will know that online and offline criminality will be faced with the courts and with the law," she added.

"We have seen what has happened on the streets, like here in Rotherham, that is not our British values."

Several arrests have already been made in connection with the violent disorder in Rotherham, with nine people appearing in court.

South Yorkshire Police reported that more than 50 officers, as well as dogs and horses, had been injured in the unrest.

The demonstration at the hotel was organised by self-employed plasterer Connor McAllister but what was planned as a peaceful protest turned ugly when demonstrators pushed a blazing wheelie bin against the building and attempting to set it on fire as they stormed the premises.

After the demo he said: “I would like to apologise to anyone who got caught in the crossfire at the demonstration.

“It was always our intention to keep it peaceful and for the first hour it was. Things escalated out of control, and for this, I apologise.”