UK Riots Erupt Over Immigration Demands
Screengrab BBC video. Police and rioters have had confrontations in several English cities.
Riots Continue in Northern English Cities
Riots have continued in northern English cities over the weekend, with rioters demanding the removal of immigrants. Over the weekend, several police officers were injured and scores of people were arrested as mobs throwing bricks and flares clashed with officers, burnt and looted shops, and smashed the windows of cars and homes.
Government Responds with Swift Criminal Sanctions
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday vowed "swift criminal sanctions" following an emergency meeting on the far-right riots that broke out across England last week over the murder of three children. The prime minister met with ministers and police chiefs, including Scotland Yard boss Mark Rowley, to discuss how to quell the violence that first broke out in Southport, a normally quiet seaside resort north of Liverpool on Tuesday.
As part of a "number of actions" to come out of Monday’s meeting, the government will "ramp up criminal justice" to ensure that "sanctions are swift," Starmer told the media. He also said a "standing army" of specially-trained police officers was ready to be deployed to support local forces where any further riots break out.
Background to the Violence
Clashes erupted in Southport a day after three young girls were killed and five more children critically injured during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. False rumors initially spread on social media saying the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker, but police said the suspect was a 17-year-old born in Wales, with UK media reporting he has Rwandan parents. However, that has not stopped mosques from being targeted.
Police Blame English Defense League
Police have since arrested hundreds of people in towns and cities nationwide, with anti-immigration demonstrators and rioters facing off against police and counter-protestors, including groups of Muslims. Police have blamed the violence on people associated with the English Defense League, an anti-Islam organization founded 15 years ago whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism.
Consequences of the Violence
The violence is a major challenge for Starmer, elected only a month ago after leading Labour to a landslide win over the Conservatives. Rioters threw bricks, bottles and flares at police — injuring several officers — and looted and burnt shops, while demonstrators shouted anti-Islamic slurs as they clashed with counter-protesters. The violence is the worst England has seen since 2011, when widespread rioting followed the police killing of a mixed-race man in north London.
Conclusion
The UK is facing a crisis of violence and unrest, with far-right rioters demanding the removal of immigrants and targeting mosques and asylum seeker hotels. The government has vowed to take swift action to quell the violence, but the consequences of the violence will be felt for a long time.
FAQs
- What sparked the violence?
- The violence was sparked by false rumors about the suspect in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, which initially spread on social media.
- Who is responsible for the violence?
- Police have blamed the violence on people associated with the English Defense League, an anti-Islam organization.
- What is the government’s response to the violence?
- The government has vowed to take swift action to quell the violence, including ramping up criminal justice and deploying specially-trained police officers to support local forces.