England is experiencing violent riots with disturbances linked to child murders and involving far-right agitators spreading across the country since Sunday. The unrest was triggered by anti-immigration protests following a stabbing attack that claimed the lives of three young girls earlier that week.
The violence began after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport, near Liverpool. Subsequently, skirmishes erupted at far-right rallies in Liverpool, Manchester, and Bristol, where rioters clashed with police, hurled bricks and bottles, and looted shops, as per reports.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to send additional police officers to address the disorder and warned far-right protesters that they would "regret" their involvement in the riots.
Riots fueled by misinformation
Reportedly, the violence is the most severe England has experienced since the summer of 2011, when widespread riots erupted after the police killing of a mixed-race man in north London.
The protests have been sparked by false rumors on social media regarding the background of British-born 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who is accused of killing three young children and injuring ten others in a knife attack.
According to the Associated Press, the violence began after online rumors falsely claimed that Rudakubana, the suspect in the stabbing attack, was both Muslim and an immigrant. These inaccuracies reportedly incited anger among far-right supporters.
The teenager's identity was previously withheld due to his age, but Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC has ruled that it can now be disclosed following media requests. The defendant is set to turn 18 soon.
The far-right agitators are leveraging the stabbing attack by highlighting issues such as immigration levels in the UK, specifically focusing on the tens of thousands of migrants arriving via small boats from France across the English Channel. Demonstrations have been organised online using slogans like “enough is enough” and “stop the boats”.
Police attributed the "appalling violence" to disinformation and noted that "high-profile accounts frequently share and amplify these posts". The statement read, “Disinformation is a huge driver of this appalling violence and we know a lot of those attending these so-called protests are doing so in direct response to what they’ve read online."
As a precaution, the police advised people to "think twice before you act".
Who is behind the riots?
According to The New York Times, several far-right groups have either participated in the riots or promoted them on social media. David Miles, a leading figure in the far right group Patriotic Alternative, posted photos of himself in Southport, as reported by Hope Not Hate, a UK-based organisation that investigates extremist groups.
Other far-right agitators, such as the neo-Nazi group British Movement, disseminated information about the protest online. Analysis of protest images by Hope Not Hate revealed that some participants even displayed Nazi tattoos.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, has been a central figure in these protests. Robinson, a former leader of the English Defence League (EDL), has a history of legal troubles and remains influential in far-right circles through social media. Although he was banned from Twitter in 2018, his account was reinstated after Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform, now rebranded as X.
Founded in 2009, the English Defence League is a far-right street movement known for its violent protests and anti-Islam, anti-immigration positions. In a statement released on Tuesday night, Merseyside Police also indicated that they believe supporters of the EDL were responsible for the disturbances.
The group originated in Luton, England, where community tensions had escalated following an incident in which a few Islamic extremists verbally abused British soldiers returning from Iraq.
In 2013, Robinson announced that he had severed ties with the league. Following leadership disputes and internal conflicts, the group has since ceased to formally exist. However, experts note that many of its supporters continue to be active through other nationalist groups with similar goals and methods.
What is the government's response?
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the unrest on UK streets as "far-right thuggery" and noted that Muslim communities had been specifically targeted. He announced new measures including the enhanced sharing of intelligence, broader use of facial-recognition technology, and criminal behaviour orders to restrict the movement of troublemakers.
“I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder. Whether directly or those whipping up this action online, and then running away themselves,” Keir Starmer said in a TV address.
The Prime Minister has convened an emergency security meeting in an effort to suppress anti-immigrant protests. Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, informed BBC Radio that additional officers would be deployed across Britain and that strategies from the 2011 London riots would be utilised. The organisation has announced the deployment of nearly 4,000 extra officers to prevent further violence.
Reportedly, 147 individuals associated with the riots have been arrested by the police, as per the recent update.