Article (UK) Protesters hijack town's grief after stabbing attack that killed 3 children

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UK prime minister accuses far-right protesters of hijacking town's grief after stabbing attack that killed 3 children
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/uk-pr...3-children

EXCERPTS: Residents swept shattered glass and cleared broken bricks and burnt plastic from streets Wednesday after far-right protesters clashed with police outside a mosque in a northwest England town where three girls were fatally stabbed earlier this week.

A violent crowd of several hundred hurled bricks and bottles at riot police, set garbage bins and vehicles on fire and looted a store in Southport, hours after a peaceful vigil on Tuesday for the girls, aged 6, 7 and 9, who were killed during a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance and yoga class.

More than 50 officers were injured, with more than two dozen of those taken to hospitals, officials said.

[...] “It’s horrendous what those hooligans have done last night,” he said. “It was like a war scene. People from out of town just causing absolute mayhem.”

“But none of those people were the people of Southport,” he added. “The people of Southport are the ones here today cleaning the mess up.”

The protesters, who police said were supporters of the far-right English Defence League, were fueled by anger and false online rumors about the 17-year-old suspect arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

[...] Police said a name of the suspect circulating on social media — spread by far-right activists and accounts of murky origin purporting to be news organizations — was incorrect and that he was born in Britain, contrary to online claims he was an asylum-seeker. The names of suspects under the age of 18 are usually not made public in Britain.

Patrick Hurley, the local lawmaker, said the violence by “beered-up thugs” was the result of “propaganda and lies” spread on social media. “This misinformation doesn’t just exist on people’s internet browsers and on people’s phones. It has real world impact,” he said.

Chanaka Balasuryla, whose corner store was looted for booze and cigarettes, said he was horrified as he watched from home on a surveillance camera as a gang broke in. He was terrified because a woman and her daughter lived upstairs and he feared the looters would set the shop on fire.

[...] The rampage in Southport, a seaside town near Liverpool, is the latest shocking attack in a country where a recent rise in knife crime has stoked anxieties and led to calls for the government to do more to clamp down on bladed weapons, which are by far the most commonly used instruments in U.K. homicides.

About two dozen children were attending a Taylor Swift-themed summer vacation workshop on Monday when a teen armed with a knife entered the studio and began a vicious attack, police said. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, died from their injuries. Ten other people were injured, among whom five girls and two adults are in critical condition.

[...] Witnesses described hearing screams and seeing children covered in blood in the mayhem outside the Hart Space, a community center that hosts everything from pregnancy workshops to women’s boot camps.

Joel Verite, a window cleaner riding in a van on his lunch break, said his colleague slammed on the brakes and reversed to where a woman was hanging on the side of a car covered in blood. “She just screamed at me: ‘He’s killing kids over there. He’s killing kids over there,’” Verite told Sky News..... RELATED (VIDEO): In full: Protesters march in London following incident in Southport

Southport residents clean up after ‘despicable’ riots ... https://youtu.be/ozyWQqQpz9I

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ozyWQqQpz9I

[Syne]

Why's it only hijacking grief, etc. when the right protests?

[Zinjanthropos]

Why's it only hijacking grief, etc. when the right protests?

It’s the Labor Party line, I saw same in another story.

Trying to get this straight, if the thugs are right wing extremists then what would the murderer be? I’m thinking that in the minds of these so called right wingers the killer represents the disadvantaged left as an immigrant and part of a cultural minority that’s tearing down UK. Don’t think it makes a difference where the guy was born but the baby killer’s name does.

How does the extremist label work? Right wing is violence and left wing is what? If a left winger kills for a cause is he still a left winger albeit an extreme one? When laws seem to prohibit right wing behavior more than left is there more of a tendency for bad left behavior? Does one side tolerate the other more?

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UK PM Starmer vows crackdown on ‘marauding mobs’ as Southport teen perpetrator faces court
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/202...urt/145757

EXCERPTS: Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new “national capability” to tackle disorder that broke out after the incident. The new measures will allow the sharing of intelligence, wider deployment of facial recognition technology and criminal behaviour orders to restrict troublemakers from travelling, said the prime minister.

“These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community. We must have a policing response that can do the same,” he added. Starmer earlier met with police chiefs from across the country to discuss how to quell the violence that erupted in the nights following Monday’s killings.

[...] In Hartlepool, northeast England, demonstrators set fire to police cars and threw objects at officers. Police said they had made eight arrests.

Hartlepool police said officers faced “missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them, with several suffering minor injuries”.

In his comments, Starmer made it clear that while the right to protest must be protected, “criminals who exploit that right in order to sow hatred and carry out violent acts will face the full force of the law.”

He told the assembled police chiefs: “The government will make sure you’ve got the powers you need, and we will back you in using those powers, and I think it’s very important that we say that.”

The Labour government, in power less than a month following a landslide general election win over the Conservatives, has vowed to clamp down on crime and antisocial behaviour... (MORE - missing details)

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15 more Southport protests planned across UK as PM announces 'national' response
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/15...d-33380065

INTRO: A wave of demonstrations is expected to sweep across the UK following the shocking Southport stabbings, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announcing a bold "national" strategy to tackle the continuing violent unrest. This includes better coordinating police efforts to create a united front against the shocking scenes of unrest that has injured scores of police officers and seen more than 100 people arrested.

An investigation has revealed plans for over 15 demonstrations across the nation, as details emerge on social media platforms showcasing calls to action - some emblazoned with England flags and fervent slogans such as "enough is enough", "save our kids", and demands to "stop the boats".

According to PA, these protests are set to strike Southport itself, Leeds, and Bristol. After hundreds of violent protesters were arrested on Wednesday, the investigation revealed another 15 events planned in the coming days, as well as two counter protests to oppose the brick-throwing far right instigators.

READ MORE: Inside life of Southport suspect Axel Rudakubana accused of killing three young girls

17-year-old Axel Rudakubana was hauled before Liverpool Crown Court, facing grim charges in the aftermath of a Taylor Swift-themed dance class bloodbath. Hailing from Banks in Lancashire, he stands accused of the brutal murder of three young girls: Alice Dasilva Aguiar, aged nine; six year old Bebe King; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, who was just seven... (MORE - details)

[stryder]

The reason it's seen as extremists is that the people involved in the rioting aren't even necessarily from the local area. People were rallied online to turn up and cause problems in that location and thats been spreading to other cities/towns.

It should be considered that England lost the UEFA against Spain and historically football "Hooligans" don't take defeat particular well, so would likely want something to vent on anyway. In this instance attaching themselves to the knife attack as an excuse to kick-off.

If it was just a protest, then it could been peaceful. Much of the troubles have been done so as to allow theft from shops and direct underlining hatred of people with any forms of ethnicity. (Some of the shops looted were corner shops run by immigrants) which means the were targetted out of hatred.

The worst bit about it is that the attacks that occur here and elsewhere can have some underlining state manipulated puppeteer that just laughs at the yobs chasing the wrong people.

[Syne]

The reason it's seen as extremists is that the people involved in the rioting aren't even necessarily from the local area. People were rallied online to turn up and cause problems in that location and thats been spreading to other cities/towns.
...
Much of the troubles have been done so as to allow theft from shops and direct underlining hatred of people with any forms of ethnicity.

Same thing has happened with many leftist protests in the US. But still no real criticism compared to any right wing protests.

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Can a rookie PM stop the riots without adding fuel to the fires?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kier-star...fe862c6cb1

EXCERPTS: In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street after claiming victory in the UK general election, Keir Starmer promised he would be a prime minister for “stability and moderation”. One month on, he now faces his first serious test of domestic stability.

Summer here in the UK has quickly turned into a season of unrest. It began last week in the northern seaside town of Southport, following a knife attack on a children’s dance party that resulted in the murder of three young girls. Far-right extremists responded by whipping up hatred and hysteria online about immigrants. Rioting broke out in Southport, with violence also erupting in Sunderland, Hartlepool and London.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly condemned an attack Sunday on a hotel housing asylum seekers that saw at least 10 police officers injured, one seriously, describing it as “far-right thuggery.”

In a statement from 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon, the prime minister vowed that the authorities will “do whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice” and that justice will be swift.

Starmer’s statement came as more violence broke out across the country in the wake of a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left three girls dead and many more wounded. “I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves,” he said. “This is not a protest, it is organized, violent thuggery and it has no place on our streets or online.”
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UK anti-immigration riots worsen, mob breaks into hotel housing asylum seekers
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/uk...2024-08-04

RELEASE: Violent scenes were witnessed in the UK as far-right extremists stormed a hotel in Rotherham believed to be housing asylum seekers and set it on fire. This incident marks the latest escalation in the country's most severe unrest in over a decade.

The anti-immigration sentiment, triggered by misinformation about a mass stabbing incident in which three young girls were killed in Southport earlier this week, has snowballed into massive violence across the UK in the past few days.

In a stern response to the rioters following the Rotherham hotel attack, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that the far-right extremists would "regret" their actions and face the "full force of the law".

A large group of far-right protesters, with many draped in British flags and chanting nationalist slogans, gathered at the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Rotherham, where a significant number of asylum seekers are accommodated. The situation rapidly escalated as the mob began throwing projectiles at police, smashing windows, and eventually forcing their way into the building and setting it on fire.

The riots were sparked by the rapid spread of misinformation surrounding a fatal stabbing incident at a children's dance class in Southport, falsely claiming the suspect to be a Muslim immigrant. Violent protests involving hundreds of anti-immigration protesters have erupted in towns and cities across Britain.

On Sunday, apart from Rotherham, cities like Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester, Bolton, Hull, Southport, and Middlesbrough, among many other places, saw violence at varying levels, according to a BBC report. In Middlesbrough, one of the hotspots, the mob torched a car, damaged many vehicles and houses, and targeted a town hall. They also threw cans and bottles at police officers and shops.

In both Rotherham and the north-west town of Lancaster, there were anti-racist counterprotesters. The police were seen struggling to keep the two groups apart.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is facing a major test immediately after taking charge a month ago, vowed strict action. He called Sunday's scenes in Rotherham "marauding gangs intent on law-breaking and nothing else." He asserted that the "violent mob does not represent our country" and said: "If you target people because of the color of their skin or faith, that is far-right and I’m prepared to say so."

"I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, either directly or those whipping up this disorder online," he warned.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also condemned the developments, saying, "Violent and criminal behavior has no place in our society." He said that the "shocking scenes" on the streets of Britain have "nothing to do with the tragedy in Southport".

"The police have our full support to deal with these criminals swiftly, and they must face the full weight of the law," he added.

The government has announced increased protection for mosques across the country, as the attackers targeted places of worship across England and Northern Ireland. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said £29.4m (Rs 315 crore) of funding is being offered to provide greater protection for mosques.

UK police are taking measures to deal with the situation in many areas including Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Southport. Police said that extra powers have now been given to the force, allowing them to stop and search people in defined areas within a specific timeframe. “A section 60AA authority allows us to require people to remove face coverings used to disguise or conceal their appearance,” police said, as masked men unleashed violence.

Saturday was another violent day, with far-right activists clashing with anti-racism protesters across the UK. Violent scenes were reported from Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, to Liverpool in the northwest of England, and Bristol in the west. Nearly 100 people were arrested in multiple locations.

According to police, the mob attacks and violence were organized online by shadowy far-right groups, mobilizing support with phrases like “enough is enough,” “save our kids,” and “stop the boats.” The internet is flooded with anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant content by far-right groups, who aim to take advantage of the Southport stabbing.

[C C]

UK PM slams Elon Musk for saying far-right riots ‘inevitable’
https://www.scivillage.com/thread-16294-...l#pid65609
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Countries issue warnings to citizens over UK protests
https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-41450668.html

INTRO: Several countries have issued safety warnings to their citizens in the UK due to anti-immigration protests and riots.

Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia have all sent out alerts, giving advice to their nationals living in or visiting the UK to stay away from demonstrations.

A “travel alert” by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based in the capital Abuja, stated that there is “an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK”, noting that “the violence has assumed dangerous proportions”.
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PM rejects calls for Parliament to return to debate riots amid demands from MPs
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics...74812.html

INTRO: Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls for Parliament to be recalled in the face of rioting on Britain’s streets. The Prime Minister said he was focused on ensuring police are able to carry out their duties, as MPs from across the political spectrum demanded Parliament return from its summer recess.

Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, Labour MPs including Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have all called for the Commons to cut short the recess after the country endured another night of violence on Sunday.

Addressing the calls for a Commons return after an emergency Cobra meeting held to deal with the riots, Sir Keir said: “My focus is on ensuring we have got the right people carrying out their duties to ensure that our streets are safe. For the public, that is the first duty of Government and that is where my absolute focus is.”

Pressed on the matter, the Prime Minister added: “My focus is on making sure that we stop this disorder, that the criminal sanctions are swift and be seen to be followed.”

Speaking to Times Radio, Tory leadership contender Dame Priti said the country is seeing “extraordinary criminality”.

She said: “We now need to, in my view, as politicians, get some kind of grip on this, which is why I am calling for the recall of Parliament right now so that we can actually discuss these issues.”

Dame Priti compared the situation to the 2011 riots, when Parliament was recalled to debate the response to disorder, adding there are “many practical things” that can be achieved by recalling MPs.

She said: “Local authorities are now under pressure, the police are under pressure to do more effectively, we need to find out what more do they need.”
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Belfast: 'My life is threatened - there is no hope here'
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2edd7gmjy2o

INTRO: Mohammed Idris' café was destroyed during violent protests. "It's not easy to stay here—more for my life and my safety; I can't try over and over again with the same result."

Mohammed Idris, who owns Bash café, in south Belfast, says he will not reopen after his business was set alight during violent protests. Disorder broke out after an anti-immigration protest in the city on Saturday.

Mr Idris has told BBC News NI his businesses have been targeted before, saying his shop on Sandy Row was targeted last year. "My computer shop was completely damaged just like this café. This café was a hope, a place for a community - there is no hope here now."