Thousands of UK riot police were on standby on Wednesday to address potential further violence, which began over a week ago following the murder of three children. Far-right groups are organizing demonstrations in over 30 locations, targeting immigration lawyers and buildings housing asylum seekers, as revealed by leaked Telegram messages to British media. The government has mobilized 6,000 specialist police to tackle what is described as England's worst disorder in over a decade, with hundreds arrested and more than 100 charged.
The violence erupted after three girls, aged nine, seven, and six, were killed, and five other children critically injured in a knife attack during a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport, northwest England. Initial false social media rumors claimed the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker; however, the suspect was later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales, whose parents are from Rwanda. Despite this, disturbances initially focused on a local mosque in Southport, and widespread violence has since spread across England and Northern Ireland.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that anyone involved in the violence, including those inciting it online, will face 'the full force of the law'. He expects substantive sentencing for the rioters before the end of the week. The unrest, the worst in Britain since the 2011 London riots, has prompted several countries to issue travel warnings for the UK. Riots in multiple cities have involved attacks on police, arson of cars, and assaults on mosques and hotels used for asylum seekers.
Several alleged offenders were brought before judges, with some pleading guilty. A 19-year-old man received a two-month prison sentence, while another man admitted to assaulting a police officer outside a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers. A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Liverpool after being identified from a TikTok video, and a man in Leeds admitted to posting racially threatening messages on Facebook.
The new government has pledged a tough response to the unrest. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander announced an additional 500 prison places have been made available. Police attribute the disorder to supporters of the now-defunct English Defence League, a far-right group linked to football hooliganism. The rallies are promoted on far-right social media as 'Enough is enough'. Interior Minister Yvette Cooper warned of consequences for the perpetrators, noting the role of social media in escalating the violence.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk drew criticism for comparing Britain to 'the Soviet Union', with a spokesperson for Starmer stating there was 'no justification' for Musk's earlier claim of an inevitable British civil war.
