City Council statement on 'totally unacceptable' disorder - Sunderland City Council

Message from Assistant Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councilor Kelly Checker

We are shocked and disgusted by the recent events that have occurred. The violence in our city center is completely unacceptable and is a disrespect to the memory of the victims who lost their lives in Southport.

It is also disrespectful to our residents who follow the law and the local businesses.

It is evident that a large number of the individuals responsible were not locals of Sunderland. Instead, they, along with a small portion of our residents, arrived in the city center with the goal of causing damage and disorder.

We will do everything we can to help the authorities make sure those responsible are held accountable for what they have done.

Our teams responsible for cleaning up the environment have been working diligently all night to start the process of clearing things up. We will collaborate with our partners to make sure that the city remains a safe and pleasant place for residents, employees, and visitors.

Sunderland is famous for its welcoming and amicable atmosphere, and these incidents do not represent the true spirit of this city and its residents.

We expect that those individuals will unite, just like they always do, in the upcoming days to bring peace back to our neighborhoods.