Britain faces worst riots in 13 years
British authorities are under increasing pressure to end the worst riots in England for 13 years, sparked by misinformation about a stabbing that killed three girls at a dance school in Southport last week.
The unrest, fuelled by calls for protests promoted by accounts affiliated with far-right activists, spread to several towns and cities on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday’s demonstrations saw widespread rioting and violence, including the smashing of the facade of a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham and an attempt to storm it, and the burning of car tyres and rubbish bins. In several cities, police tried to prevent clashes between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators, especially in Bolton and Leeds. In some cases, rioters threw rocks and bottles at police, injuring several officers, and looted and burned shops, while protesters were also heard chanting anti-Islam slogans.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned what he called “far-right thuggery” in the form of violent demonstrations. Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, Starmer said those involved would face “the full force of the law,” and told those involved in the unrest: “You will regret taking part in (this unrest)” and “there is no excuse for your actions.”
Starmer stressed that “people in this country have a right to be safe. Yet we have seen Muslim communities targeted (…) and Nazi salutes performed in the street.” “I would not hesitate to call this what it is, far-right thuggery,” he said, adding: “If you target people because of the colour of their skin or their beliefs, that is far-right thuggery, I am prepared to say that.”
Widest unrest in 13 years
The unrest represents the biggest challenge facing the prime minister, just a month after he took office after leading Labour to a landslide victory over the Conservatives. About 100 people have been arrested after clashes erupted in several English cities, including Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool and Hull, as well as Belfast in Northern Ireland. The violence is the worst in England since the summer of 2011, when widespread rioting erupted after a man was shot dead by police in north London.
“We’ve seen rioting and clashes of this nature before, but they’ve been confined to specific areas of the country. We’re now seeing it spread across major cities and towns,” said Tiffany Lynch, of the Police Federation of England and Wales. The government said the police had “all the resources they need” to deal with the unrest, while police warned of more demonstrations, raising concerns that the unrest could spread. Police have beefed up their force, while Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood stressed that “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible.” Security Secretary Diana Johnson told the BBC: Rioting “will not be tolerated”, warning of “sanctions and consequences” for disorder.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has threatened those involved in the violence, and specifically condemned the attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham. “The violent criminal attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham is absolutely appalling. They deliberately set fire to a building where people were known to be inside,” Cooper said in a post on Twitter. “The government fully supports South Yorkshire Police in taking the strongest possible action against those responsible for this attack,” she said.
“Incitement against Muslims”
The unrest was fuelled by false rumours on social media about the background of the British-born suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudakopana, who has been charged with murder and attempted murder in an attack on a children’s dance school.
Rudakopana is accused of killing Bibi King, six, Elsie Dott-Stancombe, seven, and Alice DaSilva Aguiar, nine, and injuring 10 others. Police blamed the chaos on organisations linked to the anti-Islam British Defence League, which was founded 15 years ago and has since been disbanded. Threats were made to mosques in Southport and the north-eastern English city of Sunderland, prompting security at hundreds of Islamic institutions to be stepped up amid fears for the safety of worshippers. The marches were advertised on far-right social media pages, under the slogan “Enough is enough.” Protesters waved British and British flags and chanted slogans such as “Stop the boats,” in reference to illegal immigrants sailing to Britain from France. Anti-fascist protesters held counter-rallies in several cities, including Leeds, where they chanted “Get off our streets you Nazis,” while far-right protesters chanted “You are no longer English.” Not all of Saturday’s 30 rallies turned violent, with some participants insisting on reducing the number of immigrants in the country. “People are tired of hearing that they should be ashamed if they are white and working class, I am proud to be white working class,” Karina, 41, told AFP in Nottingham. In last month’s election, Britain’s Reform Party won 14 percent of the vote, one of the largest share of votes for a far-right British party.
