LIVERPOOL, England/BELFAST: Violent unrest swept through British cities on Saturday, leaving police officers injured and property damaged, in the country's deadliest riots in 13 years after the murder of three girls in northwest England.
Riots involving hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters erupted in cities after false information spread widely on social media that the suspect who attacked a children's dance class in Southport on Monday was a radical Muslim immigrant.
Police said the suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudacubana, was born in Britain, but protests by immigrant and anti-Muslim groups continued to escalate into violence, arson and looting.
Violent unrest erupted in Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and Belfast, four cities in separate parts of the UK, with brawls and the throwing of bricks and bottles as anti-immigration protesters clashed with anti-racism groups.
Several police officers were injured while trying to prevent hundreds of rival protesters – mostly young men chanting slogans – from clashing with each other.
In Liverpool, two officers were taken to hospital with what appear to be fractured facial bones, while another was ejected from a motorbike and assaulted in the chaos that saw around 750 protesters and a similar number of rival protesters, Merseyside Police, the force that oversees the north-west city, said.
At least two shops in Liverpool were vandalised and looted, police added.
Similar events were seen in the south-west city of Bristol, although anti-racism protesters outnumbered anti-immigrant protesters, with television footage showing the protesters facing off against police in riot gear.
In Belfast, some businesses reported property damage and at least one was set on fire, police reported.
“I have no reason why they attacked us,” Rahmi Akyol said, standing in front of the broken glass door of his Belfast cafe, which he said was attacked by dozens of people with bottles and chairs.
“I have lived here for 35 years. My children and my wife are from here. I don’t know what to say. It’s terrible,” he said.
Police in England have arrested dozens of people for offences ranging from violent disorder to trespassing and property damage.
Extra police have been deployed across cities as mosques across the country are being advised to increase security following the attack on a mosque in Southport on Tuesday.
Unforgivable violence
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is facing his first major test since being elected last month, has condemned the “far-right” violence and backed tough police action, discussing the chaos with senior ministers on Saturday, his office said.
The last time there were riots in the UK was in 2011, when major violence erupted, with thousands of people taking to the streets for five nights after police shot and killed a black man in London.
On Friday night, hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters in Sunderland threw stones at police in riot gear near a mosque before overturning cars, setting them on fire and setting fire to an area near a police station.
“This is not a protest, this is unforgivable violence and disorder,” Sunderland Police Chief Superintendent Mark Hall told reporters on Saturday.
There will be more protests on Sunday.
