What Is Happening In England? (X image @UnafraidLefty)
England is bearing witness to worst riots the country had witnessed in 13 years. The country is being turned upside down by anti-immigration demonstrators and counter protesters locked horns, following the murder of three little girls in northwest England. Dozens were arrested after scenes of disorder broke out. Police warned that it is highly likely for the violence to stretch to coming days.
At least ten police officers were injured during a demonstration which turned into a riot at the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Rotherham, reported BBC. Protestors smashed windows and doors, before managing to get inside the building where asylum seekers are staying. Burning wheelie bins were pushed towards officers as the group marched through the town. Around 300 people gathered to protect a mosque in the town, said the report.
The disorder came after false information spread rapidly on social media platforms, which claimed the suspect in the knife attack at a children’s dance class in Southport was a radical Muslim migrant. Though police have revealed the identity of the accused, Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in Britain, the protesters mainly of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim demonstrators have continued, descending into violence, arson and looting. The accused has been charged with three counts of murder, and 10 counts of attempted murder.
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Three little girls named, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, died from their injuries. Ten others were injured, among whom five girls and two adults are in critical condition.
Far right demonstrators unleashed violent protests in response to the attack, clashing with police outside a mosque in Southport.
This is the worst violence England has seen in last 13 years, since the summer of 2011 when widespread rioting took place following the police killing of a mixed-race man in north London, said AFP.
Violence broke out in Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and Belfast — the cities located in different corners of the UK — with scuffles breaking out and bricks and bottles thrown as anti-immigration protesters faced groups that oppose racism, as per a report by Reuters.
UK Prime Minister, who assumed the office only a month ago, is facing first biggest test of his tenure. He held a senior ministers’ meeting in which he said police had been given full support to tackle extremists who were attempting “to sow hate by intimidating communities”. He made clarified that the right to freedom of expression and the violent scenes over recent days were “two very different things”.
Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, said police would have the government’s full support to take the strongest possible action. “Criminal violence and disorder have no place on Britain’s streets,” she said.
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Several far-right groups have been reported to be behind the riots, or promoted them online. a prominent member of Patriotic Alternative, a fascist group, shared photographs of himself in Southport, said Hope Not Hate, a Britain-based advocacy group that researches extremist organisations.
In a statement released, BJ Harrington of the National Police Chiefs’ Council said that 147 people have been arrested since last night in connection with violence. He said, he expects the number to rise in the coming days.
Police said often times, the disinforming posts are shared by high profile accounts. Disinformation is a huge driver of this appalling violence and we know a lot of those attending these so-called protests are doing so in direct response to what they’ve read online. Often posts are being shared and amplified by high profile accounts. We’re working hard to counteract this. We know we’re not alone and we are drawing together our communities and our partners to help us do even more to silence those intent on spreading false news. They won’t win”, read the statement released by the police.
According to the police, many of the weekend actions were organised online by the shadowy far-right groups, who mobilise support with phrases like “enough is enough,” “save our kids” and “stop the boats.”
The rallies were promoted on far-right social media channels under the banner “Enough is enough”. Apart from that, participants waved English and British flags while chanting slogans like “Stop the boats” – a reference to irregular migrants travelling to Britain from France.
Police also blamed the riots on supporters and associated organizations of the Defence League, an anti-Islam organization which was founded 15 years ago, and whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism, said media report.
(With inputs from agencies)
