- The bloody Southport massacre plunges Britain into a historic crisis.
In the UK, protests by far-right groups have escalated into violent clashes across several cities over the weekend following a fatal stabbing of children. Over 150 people have been arrested nationwide since Saturday, with incidents occurring in Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Bristol, and Belfast. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the "far-right hooliganism" and threatened legal consequences for the rioters.
Clashes have taken place for the fifth consecutive day. Footage broadcast by the BBC showed masked protesters in the Midlands town of Rotherham smashing the windows of a hotel that had previously housed asylum seekers. Local police reported that ten officers were injured during the incident.
In Tamworth, near Birmingham, a large group of people attacked another hotel housing asylum seekers, using projectiles, smashing windows, setting fires, and assaulting police, injuring one officer, according to Staffordshire police.
In the northeast city of Middlesbrough, hundreds of people gathered opposite the riot police, with some throwing bricks, cans, and bottles at them. An AFP team's camera was also destroyed. In Aldershot, southwest of London, dozens of people gathered peacefully to protest against asylum seekers, according to an AFP photographer.
Protests also took place in Liverpool, Hull, Leeds, and Belfast on Saturday, with some demonstrators throwing bricks, bottles, and flares at police, injuring several officers. Amidst anti-Islamic slogans, rioters looted and burned down shops. There were also clashes with counter-protesters.
The violence follows a stabbing attack in the coastal town of Southport, near Liverpool, where a 17-year-old suspect killed three children and injured eight more, along with two adults, during a summer dance class for children listening to music by US star Taylor Swift. The attack has shaken the UK, with swift circulation of speculations and misinformation about the suspect's background, whose family is reportedly from Rwanda.
Immediately after the attack, around 100 far-right extremists in Southport targeted a mosque. Later, violent protests occurred in other cities. Following partly violent protests outside Prime Minister Starmer's London residence in Downing Street, many were arrested. Hundreds of mosques across the UK tightened their security measures.
Police blame followers of the English Defence League, an anti-Islam organization with ties to the hooligan scene, for the violence. Online platforms have promoted the protests under the slogan "Enough is enough." At the events, protesters waved British and English flags and chanted slogans like "Stop the boats," referring to migrants crossing the English Channel.
In many cities, people organized anti-fascist counter-protests. In Leeds, demonstrators marched through the city chanting slogans like "Nazi scum out of our streets."
These are the worst riots in the UK since the 2011 protests following the fatal shooting of black family man Mark Duggan in North London by police. "We've had unrest and clashes like this before, but they were confined to specific areas of the country," said Tiffany Lynch of the Police Federation for England and Wales to the BBC.
For Prime Minister Starmer, these riots represent his first political crisis just a month into his term, especially given his Labour Party's past criticism of being too lenient on immigration issues during the election campaign.
On Sunday, Starmer addressed the nation. "I assure you, you will regret it if you participate in these riots. Whether you're directly involved or if you're stirring them up online and then running away, you will face the consequences," said Starmer. "There is no justification for this far-right hooliganism, and those responsible will be prosecuted."
The local police in Rotherham stated that ten officers were injured during the clashes involving masked protesters against asylum seekers. (Police)In Middlesbrough, hundreds of people gathered and injured several officers with thrown objects at the riot police. (Police)
