Given that at least 19 far-right protests are scheduled to take place across England in the coming days, police have been asked to increase their patrols outside mosques and asylum-seeker accommodations.

Following the horrific stabbing at a children's holiday club on Monday, violent protests have expanded from Southport to London, Hartlepool, Manchester, and Aldershot.

Community leaders expressed their growing dread of more chaos on Thursday, following the targeting of mosques and asylum seeker accommodations by groups of “intimidating” demonstrators.

The riots started when false information regarding the identity and motivations of 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, the suspect in the Southport murders, went viral on the internet. Due to his age, the media have not been able to identify the teenager, who was born to parents from Rwanda.

Judge Andrew Menary KC, however, asserted that his identity should be made public because he believed that being anonymous would "allow others who are up to mischief to continue to spread disinformation in a vacuum."

Rudakubana is scheduled to appear in court in October and is charged with the murders of nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and six-year-old Bebe King, as well as ten additional murder attempts.

Tuesday and Wednesday saw rioters destroy mosques in Southport and Hartlepool due to false online rumors that the culprit was Muslim, despite the fact that very little is known about his religious background or purpose.

Protesters with signs that said "deport them, don't support them" and "no apartments for illegals" targeted asylum seeker housing in Manchester and Aldershot, Hampshire. Protesters in central London hurled flares and cans while shouting "Rule Britannia," "Save our kids," and the catchphrase of the outgoing Conservative administration: "Stop the boats."

A firm that counsels religious leaders on safety, called Mosque Security, reported that in the last few days, it had received queries from more than 100 mosques requesting assistance.

Its director, Shaukat Warraich, claimed that "the false anti-Muslim narrative being peddled following the Southport murders" was the reason why the company's internet security tips had been downloaded "in their hundreds."

Reports surfaced this weekend that mosques canceled gatherings due to security concerns.

On the lookout

Related News

Manchester synagogue attack leaves two dead, three injured

17 wounded in Hamburg stabbing, suspect in custody

Details of at least 19 far-right gatherings scheduled to take place in English towns and cities over the next several days have been obtained by The Guardian. The protesters outside Downing Street on Wednesday night also chanted the slogans "Enough is enough" and "Protect our kids," which are being used by many of the events. After demonstrators and police battled, over 110 people were taken into custody.

There are scheduled counter-demonstrations in Manchester and Liverpool due to concerns that the violence sparked by the Southport killings has encouraged anti-immigration groups.

The membership of one internet organization claimed to have "absolutely rocketed in the past few days." An organization called Tell Mama, which monitors Islamophobia, has advocated for increased police security around mosques.

Read next: UK to delay decision on banning arms sales to 'Israel' for weeks

Iman Atta, its director, stated, “We absolutely need to see the police organise and step up their patrols around mosques and asylum seeker accommodation. It would be good to see neighbourhood teams change their patrol times to provide additional reassurance to the communities."

Atta added, “Last week has demonstrated how the far right can organise online and promote hate and misinformation towards Muslim communities, refugees and asylum seekers. We ask communities to keep calm, look out for each other and to remain vigilant.”

Meanwhile, even though it would be "great" to see more police monitoring far-right activities this weekend, Nahella Ashraf of Stand Up to Racism Manchester noted that this would not address the underlying issues that led to the riots in the long run.

“Before the election, with all the attacks on asylum seekers, it’s not surprising we’re seeing this unleashed,” she revealed, noting, “We’ve had years where people are feeling angry and neglected and the cost of living crisis feeds into it. It’s the climate the politicians have set.”

The chief constable of Cleveland police, Mark Webster, relayed that the protest in Hartlepool was “mindless thuggery”, saying, “There is an opportunity to go out and damage things, and just exhibit a bit of violence. I don’t think there is a principle at stake, this was not a legitimate protest or demonstration."

Pure 'thuggery'

Violent clashes took place between far-right protesters and police in central London late Wednesday following the spread of misinformation on social media determining that the Southport knife perpetrator was a Muslim man.

The violent protests initially sparked on Tuesday in Southport after extremist far-right social media users falsely reported that the assailant in Monday's knife attack that killed three young girls and wounded multiple children at dance class was a Muslim immigrant.

“We are aware that some protesters have breached conditions on Whitehall,” the Metropolitan Police said regarding the clashes that occurred in Whitehall, adding, “Officers are at the scene and engaging with protestors."

Police later issued an update on X that over 100 protesters had been "arrested for offenses including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions," which resulted in more than 50 officers receiving minor injuries. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violent riots as "thuggery", pledging that the assailants will face "the full force of the law."