The United Kingdom is facing its worst civil unrest in more than a decade as far-right anti-immigrant riots spread across several cities. The clashes led to hundreds of people being arrested and multiple police officers injured on Sunday, Aug. 4. Crowds reportedly set fire to hotels housing asylum-seekers, smashed vehicles and threw objects at police officers. Meanwhile, anti-fascist protesters staged counter demonstrations.
The protests first broke out after a stabbing attack on Monday, July 29, left three children dead and several others injured near Liverpool.
Following the incident, a misinformation campaign stoked outrage with reports that said the 17-year-old stabbing suspect was a Muslim immigrant. The teen, who was born and raised in Britain, is charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. His family is from Rwanda. The police said that the motive for the attack remains unclear.
U.K. authorities have implemented measures to protect mosques and places of worship following targeted attacks by rioters.
Prime Minister Keir Steimer called an emergency meeting to address the escalating situation on Monday, Aug. 5. Steimer condemned the attacks by far-right protesters, calling the riots “far-right thuggery.”
The mass arrests have also led to more strain on the U.K. legal system, which is already facing prison overcrowding and a backlog of cases following the COVID-19 pandemic and budget cuts. Tens of thousands of cases reportedly remain backlogged in the courts. As it stands, some cases related to the recent unrest will not be heard until September.
