UK riots: King Charles responds as UK threatens to extradite Aussies, Americans, over tweets
The parents of Bebe King, one of the three children killed in a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, have spoken about the true depth of the horror their family experienced.
World
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The parents of six-year-old Bebe King, one of three children killed in a stabbing attack at Southport in the UK last month, have spoken out about their horror.
Ben and Lauren King said: “She was full of joy, light, and love, and she will always remain in our hearts as the sweet, kind, and spirited girl we adore.”
They also revealed Bebe’s sister Genie witnessed the brutal attack and managed to escape in a statement released via Merseyside Police.
“She has shown such incredible strength and courage, and we are so proud of her,” they said.
“Her resilience is a testament to the love and bond she shared with her little sister, and we will continue to support her as we navigate this painful journey together as a family.”
It comes as King Charles praised police and emergency services “for all they are doing to restore peace in those areas that have been affected by violent disorder” across the UK in the aftermath of the brutal attack, which also claimed the lives of nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe.
The King hoped that the “shared values of mutual respect and understanding will continue to strengthen and unite the nation”, a palace spokesman added in a statement, and was “greatly encouraged” by the response of many Brits to the violence.
This was his first official reaction to the unrest, and came as Scotland Yard’s top police officer vowed to bring assault, violent disorder, riot and terrorism charges against “keyboard warriors” posting on social media from outside the United Kingdom, potentially including “high profile” figures like Twitter/X owner Elon Musk.
In a stunning threat to Twitter, Facebook and TikTok users in countries including Australia and the United States, Britain’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he would “throw the full force of the law” at anyone anywhere in the world.
It comes as the United Kingdom charged the first person for “inciting racial hatred” over a post on Twitter/X inaccurately naming a suspect in the murder of three girls at a Taylor Swift dance class.
“Whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets. Or committing crimes from further afield online we will come after you,” Mr Rowley said.
"We will throw the full force of the law at people"
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2024
Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley is asked whether offenders arrested at riots across the UK could be charged with terrorism offences
UK riots latest âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/Hyq8IzllRb
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/2hMo5uah5C
Applying the “full force of the law” outside Britain would require the extradition of suspects from countries that have “Mutual Legal Assistance” treaties with the UK, which includes countries like Australia, the United States, Canada, and dozens more.
Almost 750 people have been arrested, and more than 300 charged, since the outbreak of violence in the wake of the Southport mass stabbing, with at least two charged over social media posts and one case being “actively considered” as a terrorism offence.
'We will not let the immigration/asylum system be intimidated. They are operating lawfully, the thugs and criminals who are targeting them are not and we will stop that'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2024
Sir Mark Rowley has been speaking ahead of planned protests tonight
Latest: https://t.co/8uHDydkqnppic.twitter.com/UUD9qEIZBh
Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions of England and Wales, said “dedicated police officers are scouring social media” for both posts and “retweets” of material
Mr Musk, who said “civil war is inevitable” in the UK, has been slamming the left-wing government Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his “Woke Stasi”, referencing the East German secret police.
“Is this Britain or the Soviet Union?” Musk asked after UK police began arresting its citizens over social media posts.
British businesswoman Bonnie Spofforth, 55, of Chester, was arrested on suspicion of “inciting racial hatred” after allegedly tweeting that the mass stabbing suspect was a person called “Ali Al-Shakati”, who was claimed to be a Muslim migrant who arrived by boat and was on an MI6 watchlist.
“If this is true, then all hell is about to break loose,” she is alleged to have written.
Jordan Parlour, 28, from Seacroft, Leeds, did not take part in any unrest due to a broken heel, but instead pleaded guilty to making his feelings known on Facebook.
“Every man and his dog should smash the f**k out of the Britannia Hotel,” he said in one post. “Cos they are over here living the life of Reilly, off the tax you hardworking people earn, when it could be put to better use,” he added in another.
Mr Rolwey, who came under fire for physically lashing out at a reporter asking when the UK’s two-tier policing would end, broadened the digital dragnet.
Asked about high profile figures like Elon Musk “whipping up hatred” in the United States, Mr Rowley said all offences – including terrorism charges – “are in play”.
“Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law. You can be guilty of offences of incitement, stirring up racial hatred, there are numerous terrorist offences regarding the publishing of material,” he said.
“All of those offences are in play if people are invoking hatred and violence on the streets, and we will come after those individuals just as we will physically confront on the streets, the thugs and the yobs who are causing the problems for communities.”
ALMOST 500 ARRESTED
A 55-year-old woman who allegedly tweeted false information, and a Labor councillor who allegedly called for the murder of thousands of anti-immigration protesters, were among nearly 500 people arrested in one of the largest police operations in British history.
As Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to not “let up” after a feared flashpoint failed to materialise, details emerged of the 483 arrests made since riots broke out in the wake of three girls being killed at a Taylor Swift dance class.
Bonnie Spofforth, of Chester, was arrested on suspicion of “inciting racial hatred” after allegedly tweeting inaccurate details of the suspect.
It was the first arrest made for the spreading of the false name “Ali Al-Shakati”, who was claimed to be a Muslim migrant who arrived by boat and was on an MI6 watchlist.
“If this is true, then all hell is about to break loose,” she is alleged to have written.
In reality, the suspect charged with three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 18, is the son of immigrants from Rwanda and was born in Wales. A plea hearing has been set for October 25, with a preliminary trial date of January 20.
Dartford councillor Ricky Jones, meanwhile, was suspended by the party for allegedly calling for the throats of anti-immigration protesters to be cut.
UPDATE: Officers have arrested a man aged in his 50s at an address in South East London.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 8, 2024
He was held on suspicion of encouraging murder and for an offence under the Public Order Act.
He is in custody at a south London police station. https://t.co/YVuXRStZzd
“We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them,” he said in a viral video, before leading a chant of “free, free Palestine”.
“Officers have arrested a man aged in his 50s at an address in southeast London,” the Met police said in response to a post of the video. “He was held on suspicion of encouraging murder and for an offence under the Public Order Act. He is in custody at a south London police station.”
It comes as Mr Starmer said during a visit to a mosque in Solihull, western England, that “it’s important that we don’t let up here”.
BRITS SILENCE PROTESTERS
Thousands of anti-racism protesters have taken to the streets in the UK in a bid to crowd out the dozens of far-right rallies that were due to take place.
The UK was preparing for yet more violence in towns and cities across the nation in the wake of the horrific Southport stabbing rampage.
However, counter-protesters turned out in their thousands in several UK cities, outnumbering far-right protesters, to send the clear message that hate was not welcome after misinformation and calls for riots were spread on social media.
Counter-protesters came out in their thousands in Bristol, Birmingham, Brighton, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and London.
In London’s Walthamstow, hundreds of anti-racism protesters took to the streets, outnumbering the far-right rioters who planned to protest outside an immigration centre.
RIOTS SPARKED BY SOUTHPORT KNIFE RAMPAGE
The conflict began when false rumours circulated on social media that an immigrant was behind the knife rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class that left three little girls dead and several injured.
False claims about the suspect’s origins were spread on social media by far-right activists with some falsely naming him as “Ali al-Shakati” with no official source for the name.
Rioters who took part in the immediate violent street protests across the UK in the aftermath of the stabbing are now facing justice.
NEW TRAVEL WARNING FOR AUSSIES
The federal government has urged Australians holidaying the UK to exercise a “high degree of caution” in light of the protests and riots.
The Smarttraveller website has updated its advice, urging travellers to exercise caution due to “the threat of terrorism” by avoiding areas where protests are occurring, monitoring the media for information and following the instructions of local authorities.
The new alert relates to the UK, including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the national terrorism threat level is at “substantial” meaning an attack is “likely”.
KING CHARLES STEPS IN AS FEAR GRIPS BRITAIN
King Charles has asked for daily updates as the UK braced for more protests.
Members of parliament were warned to stay home, businesses were boarded up, and 41 out of 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales were mobilised in one of the largest law enforcement operations in Britain’s history.
King Charles was “engaging privately” in the issues generated by the violent unrest that has engulfed the United Kingdom in the week since the horrific mass stabbing, according to Sky News.
More Coverage
Originally published as UK riots: King Charles responds as UK threatens to extradite Aussies, Americans, over tweets
Join the conversation
US-supplied missiles fired into Russia
A new video appears to show long-range ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine into Russia for the first time.
Read more
‘Get WWIII going’: Huge Russia escalation
Months ago, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin identified a glaring “red line” for the West. Joe Biden has decided to cross it.
Read more