UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has delivered a forceful warning to far-right protesters, asserting that they will “regret” their involvement in the recent violent disturbances, which are the worst England has seen in 13 years.
The unrest erupted across Britain following the tragic knife attack that killed three girls at a children’s dance class in Southport, northwest England, last week. Far-right groups have exploited the situation, spreading false claims that the suspect was an immigrant and radical Islamist. However, police have clarified that the suspect was born in Britain and are not treating the incident as terrorism.
In Rotherham, South Yorkshire, masked anti-immigration demonstrators vandalized a hotel used to house asylum seekers. The protests have spread to cities including Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester, resulting in numerous arrests, vandalism, looting, and injuries to several police officers. On Sunday, hundreds of anti-immigration protesters assembled near another hotel in Rotherham, which the UK’s interior minister confirmed was housing asylum seekers.
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In a TV address, Keir Starmer stated, “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 emphasized that there was “no justification” for what he described as “far-right thuggery” and vowed to bring the perpetrators “to justice.”
The Prime Minister has convened an emergency security meeting to address the escalating anti-immigrant protests.
BBC footage revealed rioters breaking into a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham and pushing a burning bin into the building. It remains unclear whether asylum seekers were present inside, according to AFP. Although ten police officers were injured, local authorities confirmed that no hotel staff or guests were harmed.
In Middlesbrough, hundreds of protesters confronted riot police with shields, hurling bricks, cans, and pots. Protesters also seized and damaged a camera belonging to an AFP crew, though the journalists were unharmed.
This outbreak of violence is the most severe England has experienced since the summer of 2011, when riots erupted following the police shooting of a mixed-race man in north London. In response, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish leaders in Liverpool have jointly called for calm.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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