UK PM Keir Starmer’s government, which was voted in power merely a month ago, grapples with nationwide unrest as anti-immigration protests turn violent, following the stabbing attack at a children’s dance class in Southport, last Tuesday.
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PM censures “far-right thuggery”
In a televised statement released on Sunday, Keir Starmer rebuked the “wanton violence,” incited by “racist rhetoric.” After the Knife attack claimed the lives of three young children, and injured other children and adults, misinformation regarding the identity of the attacker spread like wildfire on a scorching summer day. Extremist communities began spreading false information online, especially on social media platforms like X, and Tiktok, declaring that the attacker was an “Islamist radical” immigrant. However, the police had confirmed that the suspect was born in the UK and that they were, therefore, not treating it as a terrorism case.
This false rumor led to numerous anti-immigration and anti-Muslim protests, which the PM assured “will face the full force of the law”. His stance on the upheaval was further supported by UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper “because it’s really important that communities can feel safe on the streets”.
Protesters assail hotel housing asylum-seekers
While the violence has been erupting throughout the country, one outside the Holiday Inn Express culminated into aggression. A mob of 700 agitators gathered outside the hotel, terrorising the residents and staff. Draped in St George and Union flags, they hurled bricks and wood, and sprayed fire extinguishers at the police officers. According to reports, they set objects alight and broke windows.
Over 10 Officers injured as Violence erupts
In Rotherham alone, at least 10 officers were injured; some having fractured or broken bones. One of the officers even lost consciousness due to a head injury. The unrest was, however, not limited to this place. It spread to towns like Aldershot, Sunderland, Lancaster, Belfast, and Liverpool as well. Around 300 masked people faced off with the protestors in Bolton, where they chanted phrases such as “Allahu Akbar” or “God is the greatest” and threw objects at each other. The Manchester Police, then, issued an order, under Section 60AA, prohibiting people from wearing masks to disguise appearances.
Another officer was injured at a hotel in Tamworth, where agitators threw missiles and set fires. Police issued a warning to avoid the town centre at Middlesborough after a march, where people broke car and house windows. Approximately 600 people from opposing groups clashed against one another at Dorset.
Government bolsters up to take appropriate action
Since Saturday, over 150 people have been arrested, including 14 in Middlesbrough and 1 in Dorset. Special arrangements have been made to offer more security to mosques, due to the amount of threats received by them. A Cobra Meeting has also been scheduled for today, in light of the current situation; to apprise ministers, government officials, civil servants and intelligence officers of the measures to be taken to deal with the insurgence.
The steps taken by the government could replicate the ones taken in the 2011 UK riots, as stated by Starmer, who was the then Director of Public Prosecutions. It is said that the Court Judges could sit 24 hours a day to expedite prosecutions, while provisions have been made to draft more police officers to handle the agitation.
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