Protesters attack Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers. Source: Reuters.
A series of violent protests swept across the United Kingdom this weekend. It culminated in more than 250 arrests as the newly elected Labour government struggles to contain the surging tide of anti-immigration sentiment.
Over the past two days, police were deployed to manage 56 gatherings of far-right activists and counter-protesters across the nation. Incidents were reported from as far afield as Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Bristol in the southwest.
The unrest follows a week of escalating chaos that began with a tragic stabbing in Southport on July 29. The attack resulted in the deaths of three young girls and left eight others injured. The police's decision to withhold the name of the alleged perpetrator sparked unfounded rumours that the individual was an immigrant of Muslim origin, igniting a wave of misinformation and anger.
The following day, several hundred people protested outside a local mosque in Southport, leading to vehicles being set alight and shops being damaged. The ensuing riots left at least 50 police officers injured.
By July 31, the unrest had spread nationwide. Large anti-immigrant mobs clashed violently with police in cities from Manchester to London, even reaching outside the Prime Minister's residence in London.
In response, the Prime Minister condemned the violence, stating: "It's not protest. It’s not legitimate. It’s crime… Violent disorder." Various new police measures were announced.
Despite these stern assurances, the violence continued to escalate. On Saturday, anti-immigration demonstrators attacked the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, which was reportedly housing asylum seekers. Protesters smashed windows and hurled objects, including pieces of wood and chairs, at the hotel and the police officers guarding it.
The violence did not stop there. On Sunday evening, a similar hotel in Tamworth was attacked with firebombs while people were inside, marking another disturbing turn in the weekend's events.
Amid the chaos, anti-racist and Muslim groups also took to the streets in protest, sometimes clashing directly with the anti-immigration demonstrators. By this time, it had been announced that the alleged perpetrator of the Southport Stabbing was a 17 year old, born in the United Kingdom of Rwandan parents. No association with Islam was announced.
Images circulating on social media platforms captured the widespread violence, some of which is associated with the English Defence League, a group that, although no longer formally organised, continues to influence such protests. The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayne stated that the group would be banned under law as a terrorist organisation.
Underlying these protests is a sentiment that frustrations with mass immigration have been left unaddressed. Many protestors reject the far-right label and have criticised the police response, contrasting unfavourably to the handling of other protests in the past.
The unrest came shortly after a large anti-immigration rally in Trafalgar Square on July 27, led by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a founder of the English Defence League and a prominent advocate for the current anti-immigration movement in the UK.
In the same August 1 speech, Labour leader Keir Starmer denounced the violence, attributing it to "far-right hatred." He firmly stated, "Whatever the apparent cause or motivation – we make no distinction… Crime is crime."
Local Southport residents restore damage after Riots. Source: Reuters