Police under attack amid growing alarm about riots planned by Britain’s far-right
Extra officers and prison cells have been put to use as Britain braces for at least 30 far-right gatherings fuelled by disinformation about the Southport stabbings.
A police station and two cars were set on fire as rioters in Sunderland subjected the police to “serious violence” while targeting a mosque in a third night of unrest.
The disturbances came as more than 30 rallies were being planned by the far right across Britain this weekend, raising one of the most serious prospects of public disorder since the 2011 riots.
Hundreds of extra police are ready for deployment amid fears of violence, fuelled by disinformation about the suspect in the mass stabbing in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday.
Riot police backed by mounted officers struggled to contain the crowds in Sunderland as they came under sustained attack from protesters wielding fire extinguishers, stones and beer cans.
Hundreds of people, many draped in England flags, had gathered at the start of a series of anti-immigration protests, provoked by the killing of three girls in Southport.
The police are braced for more violence as right-wing groups planned marches and protests in close to three dozen towns and cities between Friday and Sunday.
Some members of the crowd in Sunderland were heard chanting in support of the far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, or shouting insults about Islam. A video on social media, said to have been filmed in Sunderland, showed one man with a swastika tattoo on his back.
Northumbria police said: “Our officers are continuing to deal with disorder and have been subjected to serious violence. The scenes that we are seeing are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Ensuring the public’s safety is our utmost priority.”
In Liverpool on Friday night more than 40 riot police kept far-right protesters apart from “anti-fascist” marchers after a brick was thrown towards Brougham Terrace mosque, which was founded in 1887 and claims to be Britain’s first mosque.
About 150 counterprotesters stood in a ring around the mosque as approximately 50 anti-immigration demonstrators lined up across the road. One approached the mosque and was escorted away by a police officer as counterprotesters chanted “Nazi scum off our streets”. Demonstrators shouted back: “These are our streets.”
Pat, 74, caught the attention of the crowd with a sign that read “Nans against Nazis”, telling The Times she has been “protesting against fascists since the National Front in the 1970s”.
John Wilson, 65, who has lived in Liverpool all his life, had come out to guard the mosque. “The majority of people think this is a disgrace, what’s going on, not just here even, all around the country,” he said. “It’s far-right idiots just jumping on a bandwagon.”
More than 30 protests are being planned by the far right across Britain this weekend, raising one of the most serious prospects of public unrest since the 2011 riots.
Hundreds of extra police are ready for deployment amid fears of violent disorder, fuelled by disinformation about the suspect in the Southport mass stabbing.
Flyers are being circulated on social media for protests in a number of areas, urging “patriots” to rise up and declaring that “enough is enough”. Mosques are adding extra security after they were specifically targeted in cities including Liverpool and Belfast. The police said they would carry out increased high- visibility patrols as a deterrent. Extra officers will be placed on trains and at transport hubs to stop the movement of troublemakers.
Prosecutors are on standby and ready to deliver “swift justice”, with an extra 70 made available over the weekend.
Gavin Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), promised a “robust and united response”, adding: “Police will not stand by and let criminals carry out unnecessary violence in our communities.”
Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, has told police chiefs that there is enough space in Britain’s prisons should the disorder escalate. Under one contingency plan prisoners could be moved to jails in other parts of the country to ensure there are enough cells in areas where there is rioting.
The police have already made more than 100 arrests after disorder this week in Southport, Hartlepool and London. The disturbances came after Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were fatally stabbed at a dance class. Two adults were seriously injured and eight other children were stabbed.
Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in Cardiff of Rwandan heritage, has been charged with murder and attempted murder. Hundreds of rioters have taken to the streets, fuelled by fake news about the incident, including disinformation that the suspect was Muslim and an asylum seeker.
The anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate said that as many as 35 protests were due to take place across the UK this weekend under a broad anti-multiculturalism, anti-Muslim and anti-government agenda. There was no single organiser and many rallies were being locally led with the support of the far right, it said.
In Manchester, Aldershot and Rotherham, asylum accommodation sites are likely to be targeted. Counterprotests are planned in some cities.
The Times
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