UK authorities have warned people that merely retweeting information about the riots could lead to criminal charges.

Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, told Sky News that people do not even need to personally post the content themselves to be deemed to be committing an offence.

Parkinson said social media users could be guilty of “incitement to racial hatred” if they post “insulting or abusive” content that is “likely to stir up racial hatred.”

“So if you retweet that, then you’re republishing that and then potentially you’re committing that offence,” he added, noting that dedicated police officers are “scouring social media” looking for such material.

“People might think they’re not doing anything harmful, they are, and the consequences will be visited upon them,” Parkinson warned.

Sky News clarified that “sharing online material of riots could be an offence.”

The public official also asserted separately that individuals who publish protest/riot locations, such as those outside immigration law firms, could be hit with terrorism charges.

“The fact that it’s organised groups that might be motivated by ideological reasons, the fact that they’re promoting potentially very serious offences – that’s the sort of instance where we might want to consider terrorism charges,” said Parkinson.