United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a stern warning to far-right protesters on Sunday, promising they would “regret” their involvement in England’s worst riots in 13 years.
The unrest, linked to the murder of three children, has spread across the country for the fifth consecutive day.
In Rotherham, South Yorkshire, masked anti-immigration demonstrators smashed windows at a hotel housing asylum seekers.
LEADERSHIP reports that the violence, sparked by misinformation about a mass stabbing in Southport, has affected multiple towns and cities, leading to clashes between protesters and police.
Addressing the nation in a televised speech, Starmer said, “I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder. Whether directly or those whipping up this action online, and then running away themselves.” He condemned the “far-right thuggery” and vowed to bring the perpetrators “to justice.”
Footage aired on the BBC showed rioters forcing their way into a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham and pushing a burning bin into the building. It remains unclear if asylum seekers were inside at the time.
In Middlesbrough, hundreds of protesters confronted riot police, throwing bricks, cans, and pots at officers. On Saturday, over 90 people were arrested following skirmishes at far-right rallies in Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool, Hull, and Belfast.
Rioters hurled bricks, bottles, and flares at police, injuring several officers, looted and burned shops, and shouted anti-Islamic slurs while clashing with counter-protesters. The violence is the worst since the 2011 riots following the police killing of a mixed-race man in north London.
Tiffany Lynch of the Police Federation of England and Wales said, “We’re now seeing it [trouble] flooding across major cities and towns.”
LEADERSHIP also recalls that the riots began in Southport on Tuesday night after Monday’s knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party. The suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, is accused of killing three children and injuring ten others. False rumours about his background on social media fueled the unrest.
Police attributed the violence to supporters of the English Defence League, an anti-Islam organisation linked to football hooliganism. Agitators have targeted at least two mosques, prompting the UK interior ministry to offer new emergency security to Islamic places of worship.
Rallies have been organised under the slogan “Enough is enough” on far-right social media channels. Participants waved English and British flags and chanted slogans like “Stop the boats,” referring to irregular migrants travelling to Britain from France.
Anti-fascist demonstrators held counter-rallies in many cities. In Leeds, they chanted “Nazi scum off our streets” while far-right protesters responded with “You’re not English any more.”
Reports indicated that Not all gatherings turned violent. A peaceful protest in Aldershot saw participants holding placards reading “Stop the invasion” and “We’re not far right, we’re just right.”
Starmer’s government faces an early test in addressing the unrest, having been elected just a month ago following Labour’s landslide victory over the Conservatives.