More than 90 people were arrested, the police announced on Sunday, during riots that erupted in cities across Britain on Saturday in the aftermath of a brutal knife murder of three girls in Southport near Liverpool.
Saturday saw another day of protests turned into violent riots, which erupted after a Monday stabbing attack that left three children dead and 10 more people injured.
The alleged perpetrator, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born in the U.K. to immigrants from Rwanda, although rumors, possibly part of a deliberate Russian-inspired disinformation campaig, quickly spread that he was a Muslim asylum seeker. The truth is, however, Rudakubana’s family are active members of a local church in the village, a Southport suburb, where they live.
The demonstrations on Saturday occurred in cities in northern and the Midlands, such as Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, as well as Bristol in the southwest and Belfast in Northern Ireland. In Bristol and Nottingham, the anti-immigrant protesters clashed and a group of counter-demonstrators clashed violently.
Similar riots occurred throughout the week across the country, including in Southport on Tuesday, in London near the Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence as well as in the northeastern English city of Hartlepool on Wednesday, and in Sunderland, also in northeastern England, on Friday.
The most violent Saturday riots happened in Liverpool where the largest number of rioters were arrested – 23 so far. More than 20 were arrested across the county of Lancashire, northeast of Liverpool, and where the scene of the tragedy is located. Most of them were arrested in Blackpool, the county’s largest city.
In Hull, rioters attempted to storm a hotel where asylum-seeking illegal immigrants have been accommodated. Fourteen more people were arrested in Bristol, 10 in Stoke-on-Trent. Lower numbers of individuals were also arrested in Leicester, Leeds, and in Belfast.
Most of those arrested are accused of disturbing the peace. The number of arrests is likely to increase, as the police continue to gather evidence against others suspected of participating in the riots.
The alleged perpetrator, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born in the U.K. to immigrants from Rwanda, although rumors, possibly part of a deliberate Russian-inspired disinformation campaig, quickly spread that he was a Muslim asylum seeker. The truth is, however, Rudakubana’s family are active members of a local church in the village, a Southport suburb, where they live.
The demonstrations on Saturday occurred in cities in northern and the Midlands, such as Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, as well as Bristol in the southwest and Belfast in Northern Ireland. In Bristol and Nottingham, the anti-immigrant protesters clashed and a group of counter-demonstrators clashed violently.
Similar riots occurred throughout the week across the country, including in Southport on Tuesday, in London near the Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence as well as in the northeastern English city of Hartlepool on Wednesday, and in Sunderland, also in northeastern England, on Friday.
The most violent Saturday riots happened in Liverpool where the largest number of rioters were arrested – 23 so far. More than 20 were arrested across the county of Lancashire, northeast of Liverpool, and where the scene of the tragedy is located. Most of them were arrested in Blackpool, the county’s largest city.
In Hull, rioters attempted to storm a hotel where asylum-seeking illegal immigrants have been accommodated. Fourteen more people were arrested in Bristol, 10 in Stoke-on-Trent. Lower numbers of individuals were also arrested in Leicester, Leeds, and in Belfast.
Most of those arrested are accused of disturbing the peace. The number of arrests is likely to increase, as the police continue to gather evidence against others suspected of participating in the riots.
Further protests are scheduled for Sunday.
Condemning the riots, which he accused the far-right of instigating, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that violence will not be tolerated and that a special police unit to tackle violent disorder will be established.
“These thugs are mobile. They move from community to community. And we must have a policing response that can do the same,” Starmer said.
Condemning the riots, which he accused the far-right of instigating, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that violence will not be tolerated and that a special police unit to tackle violent disorder will be established.
“These thugs are mobile. They move from community to community. And we must have a policing response that can do the same,” Starmer said.
Source: PAP, Reuters, TVP World
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