Three quarters of Muslim women in UK fear for safety amid riots
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Prior to the riots, just 16% of people polled were concerned about their safety, according to the research.
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Police forces secure the area ahead of a far-right anti-immigration protest in Newcastle, England on August 10, 2024. (AP)
According to Sky News, up to 75% of Muslim women in the United Kingdom are concerned about their safety following rioting in the country.
Prior to the riots, just 16% of people polled were concerned about their safety, according to the research. According to the research, around one-fifth of respondents reported experiencing hostile attitudes following the incident.
More than 700 people have been arrested as of Friday, with over 300 charged for their suspected participation in the anti-Muslim riots and over 30 have been indicted with online crimes. These offenses consist of sharing footage of the ongoing violent riots or posting content that the Crown Prosecutorial Service describes as inciting "violence or hatred."
Earlier this month, violent clashes took place between far-right protesters and police in central London following the spread of misinformation on social media determining that the Southport knife perpetrator was a Muslim man.
The violent protests initially sparked on July 30 in Southport after extremist far-right social media users falsely reported that the assailant in the July 29 knife attack that killed three young girls and wounded multiple children at dance class was a Muslim immigrant.
Clashes between the demonstrators and the police were incited by members of an anti-Muslim xenophobic fascist group known as the English Defense League (EDL), who provoked protesters by attacking a local mosque with projectiles.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violent riots as "thuggery", pledging that the assailants will face "the full force of the law."
UK to tighten internet safety laws after far-right riots: CNBC
The UK government plans to tighten regulations on the distribution of illegal content online in response to recent unrest, according to a CNBC report, citing two industry sources.
The Online Safety Act, enacted in October 2023, requires tech companies to remove illegal and harmful content from their platforms.
Failure to comply could result in fines from media regulator Ofcom and senior managers may face imprisonment. Discussions about revising the law are ongoing, following a recent statement by US entrepreneur Elon Musk concerning the situation in the UK.
Musk, alongside several other critics, accused the government of restricting freedom of speech and operating a "two-tier" justice system where white British suspects are punished harsher compared to immigrants.
“Sure seems like unequal justice in the UK,” Musk said on X alongside a series of memes comparing newly-elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer to a Nazi officer and the British government to George Orwell's "1984" totalitarian dictatorship.
This comes shortly after London's Metropolitan police commissioner threatened to charge foreigners amid the UK's ongoing far-right, anti-Muslim protests for "whipping up hatred" online, stating that billionaire and X owner Elon Musk could face potential prosecution.
