Several police officers were injured in renewed street violence in British cities on Saturday, as they faced a fourth day of unrest following the killings of three young girls in northwest England earlier in the week.
Riots have broken out in several cities and towns in recent days involving hundreds of anti-immigration protesters after misinformation spread on social media that the suspect in Monday’s stabbing attack at a children’s dance class in Southport was a radical Muslim migrant.
Police have said the suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born in Cardiff, Wales, but protests by anti-immigration and anti-Muslim protesters have continued to escalate into violence and rioting, most recently in the northeastern city of Sunderland on Friday evening.
Police in Liverpool said on Saturday that several officers were injured while dealing with “serious disorder” in the city centre.
Officers in the eastern city of Hull said four people were arrested and three officers were injured when bottles were thrown during the protests.
Mosques across the country have been advised to tighten security, while police have deployed extra officers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who faces his first major test since being elected a month ago, has condemned the “far-right” for the violence and backed police to take tough action. His office said he discussed the disorder with senior ministers on Saturday.
The last time widespread violence erupted in Britain was in 2011, when thousands took to the streets for five nights after police shot and killed a black man in London.
Reuters witnesses in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Belfast reported a tense atmosphere on Saturday afternoon as police tried to prevent hundreds of chanting rival protesters from clashing.
Clashes and violence broke out in some cities, including Liverpool, where eggs, beer cans and smoke grenades were thrown, while some businesses in Belfast reported property damage.
“I don’t know any reason why they attacked us,” said Rahmi Akyol, standing outside his cafe in Belfast. The cafe’s glass doors were shattered by dozens of people throwing bottles and chairs.
“I’ve lived here for 35 years. My kids and my wife are from here. I don’t know what to say, it’s horrible,” he said.
Police arrested several people during protests in London, including one for giving a Nazi salute to a counter-protester.
On Friday night in Sunderland, hundreds of anti-immigration protesters threw stones at police wearing riot gear near a mosque, before overturning vehicles, setting a car on fire and starting a fire near a police station.
Mark Hall, the chief superintendent for the Sunderland region, told reporters on Saturday that four injured police officers were taken to hospital and 12 people were arrested.
“This was not a protest. This was inexcusable violence and disorder,” Hall said.
At least 30 demonstrations are planned across Britain this weekend, as well as numerous counter-protests by anti-racism groups, the BBC reported.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
