Police arrested dozens of people after protests turned violent in several parts of England and Northern Ireland on Saturday, while the government vowed to take tough action against those who exploit the killing of three girls to sow chaos.
Hundreds of violent protests by anti-immigration groups have erupted in cities and towns across Britain after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a children’s dance class in Southport, northwest England last week.
The killings were capitalised on by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups as misinformation spread that the suspect was a radical Islamist migrant. Police have said the suspect was born in Britain. Media reports said his family was Christian.
Violent riots broke out in cities across the country on Saturday, including Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and Stoke-on-Trent, as well as the city of Blackpool, with local police saying they had arrested at least 87 people. There was also unrest in Manchester and Belfast.
Shops and businesses were vandalised and looted, a library in Liverpool was set on fire and several policemen were injured, the police statement said.
“Criminal violence and vandalism will not be tolerated on our streets,” Interior Secretary Yvette Cooper said late Saturday.
“The police forces have my full support to ensure that those involved in criminal activity receive the harshest possible punishment.”
Saturday’s protests were the most widespread since several days of chaos following the killings. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the demonstrations were the result of deliberate actions by far-right groups rather than legitimate protests, coordinated by a “group of people absolutely intent on violence.”
The last time violent protests took place in Britain was in 2011, when thousands of people took to the streets after police shot and killed a black man in London.
Based on messages circulating on social media, more protests are planned for Sunday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
