England activates emergency plan to combat prison overcrowding

In response to recent unrest, an emergency plan has been activated to tackle prison overcrowding across England. The initiative, called Operation Early Dawn, was launched by the government on 19 August 2024 to address growing pressure on the prison system.

This plan sees defendants held in police cells until space becomes available in the prison system. Operation Early Dawn was previously used during the Conservative government's time in office and is now being reintroduced as overcrowding has been exacerbated by the spate of arrests following riots linked to violent incidents.