Following the deadly stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in the northern English town of Southport, there have been the worst riots in over ten years seen in the UK.
Far-right groups, misinformation on the internet, and anti-immigration sentiment have fueled the violence.
Communities have responded with a series of rallies against the riots in the UK, with thousands turning out on Wednesday, August 7.
What caused the riots that followed the deaths of the children in Southport, UK?
A knife assault occurred at a dance and yoga event with a Taylor Swift theme on July 29. The assault claimed the lives of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Two adults and eight more youngsters sustained injuries.
Later that day, authorities made two separate announcements. They stated that the incident was not related to terrorism. They also shared that they had taken a 17-year-old from a nearby community into custody.
Soon after the incident, erroneous information surfaced on social media about the suspect’s name. Many people believed, incorrectly, that he was an asylum seeker who had come to the UK by boat in 2023. Unfounded rumors also surfaced about him being a Muslim.
The suspect was born in Wales to Rwandan parents, as the BBC and other media sources revealed.
Police state that disseminating unconfirmed speculation and false information should not be done.
The next evening, a vigil for the victims took place in Southport, attracting over a thousand attendees.
Violence later broke out close to a mosque in the area. Agitators attacked the police with bricks, bottles, and other projectiles. They set a police van on fire. Twenty-seven officers have been hospitalized.
The disorder received widespread condemnation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticized the marauding mobs on the streets of Southport. Local MP Patrick Hurley claimed that thugs had come to the town. They were using the deaths of three children for their political purposes.
In what ways did the riots escalate in the UK?
Regional Telegram messaging apps with anti-immigration channels have discussed the rally. According to police, members of the far-right English Defence League (EDL), which has since dissolved, are thought to have been involved in the violence.
Violent demonstrations that the police connected to the Southport incident occurred the day following the violence in London, Hartlepool, and Manchester. Throughout the week, more occurred, many of them targeting hotels and mosques that provide shelter to asylum seekers.
The BBC has identified a strong pattern of influencers promoting messages for protests on mainstream social media. In smaller public groups, this trend is also evident, even without a single organizational body leading the actions.
Many influencers spread untrue information about the attacker’s identification. This information reached a wide audience, including people with no affiliation with far-right figures or organizations.
While on vacation in Cyprus, Tommy Robinson tweeted provocative remarks. Tommy Robinson, the founder of the EDL and a far-right activist and person with a felony conviction, has almost one million followers on X.
A Yaxley-Lennon-affiliated influencer on X who goes by the handle “Lord Simon” was one of the first to openly call for nationwide protests.
Where have riots occurred and what have happened?
After the Southport attack, riots have broken out in various parts of England. The locations include Plymouth on the south coast and Sunderland in the northeast. There have also been riots in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Rioters looted the shops. Arsonists set fire to automobiles and structures, including a library. Crowds stormed mosques. Crowds also stormed lodgings for asylum seekers.
A judge ruled that there were racist elements involved in the violence in south Belfast. Outside the city hall, anti-racism and anti-immigration protestors engaged in heated altercations. A man’s head was allegedly stamped on. Police are looking into whether this was a hate crime with ethnic motivations.
On Sunday, a crowd stormed the Holiday Inn in Rotherham, where authorities were sheltering asylum seekers. Terrified staff there told how they blocked themselves against the door by stacking refrigerators and other furniture against it. Neighbors told stories of rioters breaking into their lawns and running away from their houses.
Tiffany Lynch, chair of the Police Federation, declared that the disturbance had caused over 100 police officers to sustain injuries by Thursday, August 8. Some police officers were receiving treatment in hospitals.
A chief constable from Merseyside Police stated that some of the injured officers “feared they would not make it home” to their families.
Outside of the UK, people are concerned about the recent wave of violence. Authorities have issued travel advisories for Malaysia, Australia, India, and Nigeria, urging visitors to exercise caution and avoid protests.
Who has the UK linked the rioting to?
A police source told the PA news agency that it’s a “nuanced picture” with some local coordination but also a lot of “locals reacting to what they’re seeing on social media, what they’re seeing outside in their streets and just joining in”.
In Sunderland on Friday night, far-right rioters attacked police. They also set fire to an assistance center adjacent to a police station. Rioters flung stones at a mosque. Additionally, they stole from businesses, as reported by BBC Home Affairs Editor Mark Easton.
He witnessed families supporting them in addition to mask-wearing goons, including parents with strollers and kids dressed in the St. George’s flag.
At the outset, individuals concerned about immigration sought to exercise their right to peaceful protest, despite the fact that some individuals were solely intent on resorting to violence.
One such individual, who participated in a Sunday anti-immigration demonstration in Rotherham, told the BBC that the violent scenes at a hotel that houses asylum seekers were “absolutely barbaric… this is not what we’re here for.”
A Liverpool volunteer at the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque speculates that others might be acting out out of general discontent.
Violent groups and counter-protesters have battled in multiple places. Anti-racism activists in Bristol said that they exchanged gunfire to prevent opposing protestors from breaking into an asylum-seeker building.
When a group, mostly made up of young Asian guys, assembled in Birmingham to protest a supposed far-right march that never happened, there was turbulence.
What is the response from the UK government and police?
Authorities reported that on Tuesday, August 6, they had made over 400 arrests and anticipated more to come. Youngsters as young as eleven are among them.
Sir Keir has denounced “Far-right thuggery. In addition to saying that anybody who engages in violence, especially those who “whip up this action online,” would regret it, he has pledged prosecutions and convictions, “whatever the apparent cause or motivation.”
According to the administration, a “standing army” of specialized police officers will combat the unrest, and police departments will exchange information about violent organizations.
It stated that it is collaborating with social media platforms to ensure the removal of false and misleading content.
Additionally, it has declared that it will open up more than 500 new prison spaces to guarantee that those responsible for the violence face consequences.
The director of public prosecutions has informed the BBC that they are considering extradition.Those allegedly involved in disruption from outside are under consideration.Additionally, prosecutors are considering charging some suspects with terrorist offenses.
What are the riot-affected communities doing in the UK?
An online circulation of a list allegedly containing the names and locations of immigration attorneys was discovered. The communities prepared for a chaotic evening on August 7.
The scheduled anti-immigration demonstrations, however, did not occur at the majority of locations.
Conversely, a sizable number of people participated in nonviolent anti-racism demonstrations in the streets. Durham Police Chief Constable Mark Barton called this move “inspirational.”
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