UK's Starmer to hold emergency meeting with police amid rise in riots

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Aug 2024 15:04

The emergency meeting on Monday is anticipated to discuss the spread of misinformation regarding the Southport attacker's religion which has led to the increasing riots.

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Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference at 10 Downing Street, London, England, Thursday, August 1, 2024. (AP)

Following days of increasingly violent riots that saw hotels housing asylum seekers targeted, cars set on fire, and buildings destroyed, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet urgently with police officials on Monday.

A hotel that temporarily accommodates asylum seekers and migrants was set on fire by a group of violent protesters on Sunday evening in Tamworth, England.

Authorities managed to put the fire out and take security measures in the area early Monday.

“Police officers were faced with being attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks and damage was caused to the hotel by protesters, with the lives of residents inside put at risk. Fortunately, no one inside was injured,” Tamworth police said in a statement.

The Holiday Inn in Tamworth was the second hotel to be targeted by the far-right on Sunday. The hotel had previously been reported on by the British media over allegations that asylum seekers housed in the hotel were constantly facing racist attacks by some locals.

“Projectiles were thrown and officers were targeted with violence, leading to officers being assaulted. One officer suffered a suspected broken arm,” the police statement said.

On social media, one local commented on the attackers: “My 20-year-old police officer nephew was at the Tamworth incident and ended up in hospital along with 20 other officers with head injuries, broken arms, and ribs etc. Some were doused in petrol and threatened with being set on fire and throats slit. Normal law-abiding citizens (did this)?”

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison said, “I want to echo the messaging that police forces have been championing nationally following the events across the country this week: We will be using footage from CCTV, air support and our officers’ body-worn video devices to identify those responsible and seek the toughest possible punishment for these acts of senseless violence.”

On Thursday, Starmer described the violent riots as "thuggery", pledging that the assailants will face "the full force of the law."

Interior Minister Yvette Cooper stated that rioters took advantage of the situation and felt "emboldened by this moment to stir up racial hatred," as UK authorities faced mounting pressure on Sunday to put a stop to England's worst rioting in 13 years, as disturbances involving far-right rioters erupted throughout the nation.

Violent clashes broke out between far-right protesters and the police in central London last week following the spread of disinformation on social media falsely claiming that the Southport knife perpetrator was a Muslim man.

The violent protests were initiated days after in Southport after extremist far-right social media users posted the false allegation that the assailant in the knife attack that killed three young girls and wounded multiple children at a dance class was a Muslim immigrant.

The disinformation surrounding the identity of the Southport attacker was spread on social media by the English Defence League (EDL) and another far-right group called Britain First. In addition, the key factor enabling disinformation is the reinstatement of far-right activist and founder of the EDL Tommy Robinson on X, following his six-year ban from the online platform.

In response, he said, "They are lying to you all... Attempting to turn the nation against me. I need you, you are my voice."

Social media platform X owner and tech mogul, Elon Musk, added his two cents in regarding the situation by replying to a post on X blaming mass migration and open borders for the riots in the UK and writing: "Civil war is inevitable."

Civil war is inevitable
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 4, 2024

Protests and counter-protests

"I think what you've seen is that networks of different individuals and groups that have been trying to fan the flames," Interior Minister Cooper told Sky News, adding that extremist, racist, violent groups were to blame for the chaos.

"Reasonable people who have all those sorts of views and concerns do not pick up bricks and throw them at the police," she noted.

The events have been publicized on far-right social media sites under the slogan "Enough is enough," as aggressors have attacked mosques in Southport and Sunderland, prompting hundreds of Islamic centers to strengthen security due to concerns about the safety of worshippers.

Participants hoisted English and British flags while chanting slogans such as "Stop the Boats," which refers to illegal migrants traveling from France to Britain.

Anti-fascist activists have organized counter-rallies in various locations, including Leeds, where they screamed, "Nazi scum off our streets," while far-right protesters chanted, "You're not English anymore."

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.

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.