Police Warn Against ‘Inflaming Tensions’ Amid Brexit Chaos Fears

NPCC said that some 10,000 officers are ready to respond to any Brexit chaos across the country.

NPCC said it is coordinating a nationwide response to potential problems including delays at ports, traffic disruption, disorder, shortages of commodities and other Brexit-linked emergencies.

“More than 10,000 officers are trained and available to respond to national issues in extremis,’’ the NPCC said, adding that its plans had been tested and accounted for worst case scenarios.

Britain is currently scheduled to leave the bloc on April 12, however parliament voted on Wednesday to force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension.

“There are strong views on EU exit, and often loud and passionate debate.

“There’s a responsibility on us all to think carefully and be temperate in how we communicate so we don’t inflame tensions,’’ Hewitt said.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall, the NPCC’s head of operations, said the police expect to see more protests in the coming weeks but have no reason to think they will be “anything other than peaceful’’.

However, Hall said that “national and global events have the potential to trigger short-terms rises in hate crime and we saw this with the significant spike following the EU referendum in 2016.’’