Police are preparing for more violent disorder this weekend as far-right activists plan rallies in at least eight towns and cities across the UK. Posters shared on Telegram, the encrypted messaging app, and other social media channels call for “patriots” to take action, saying “enough is enough.”…reports Asian Lite News
Hampshire Police are seeking seven individuals after objects were hurled outside a hotel housing migrants during a protest in Aldershot. The police reported that a minority of the 200 protesters outside the Potters International Hotel were involved in the disruption on Wednesday evening. The force has released images of eight people it would like to identify.
This protest follows multiple pockets of unrest across the country after three girls were killed in the Merseyside town of Southport on Monday. Police anticipate more violent disorder this weekend as far-right activists plan rallies in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Belfast, Bristol, and Hull. Some flyers urge people to congregate outside mosques.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, appeared in court charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder after eight other children and two adults were seriously injured.
Appealing for witnesses, a Hampshire Police spokesman said: “Investigations are underway today to take action against those who sparked disruption in Aldershot last night.” He noted that while “the majority of attendees gathered in a peaceful manner,” a minority engaged in criminal activity, throwing objects and subjecting people to racial abuse.
Police have not directly linked the disruption in Aldershot to the Southport attack.
Alex Baker, Labour MP for Aldershot, said the situation had been “exacerbated” by people from outside the community. “There is no justification for disorderly behavior and these scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough,” she posted on X. “We all support our shared right to peacefully protest, but we will not stand for people coming to our towns determined to stir up trouble and divide our community.”
Meanwhile, seven men have been charged after disorder broke out in Hartlepool on Wednesday, according to Cleveland Police. Officers were attacked with missiles, glass bottles, and eggs in Hartlepool’s Murray Street area. An 11-year-old boy was also arrested on suspicion of arson after a police car was set alight in Hartlepool.
More than 100 people were arrested in central London on Wednesday as officers clashed with protesters on Whitehall during a demonstration. There was also unrest in Southport on Tuesday, hours after a peaceful vigil attended by thousands to remember the girls who died.
Tough on Crime
After two nights of protests fuelled by false rumors spread online, the prime minister announced a crackdown on ‘far-right thugs.’
Starmer announced the creation of a new police unit to tackle civil unrest across the country. Speaking in a televised speech, he outlined plans for increased cooperation among police forces to address such incidents.
The prime minister vowed to stop the far-right from coordinating a “summer of riots.” “It’s not protest,” he said. “It’s not legitimate. It’s crime. Violent disorder. An assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice. On behalf of the British people who expect their values and their security to be upheld, we will put a stop to it.”
“These thugs are mobile. They move from community to community. We must have a policing response that can do the same. Shared intelligence, wider deployment of facial recognition technology, and preventative action — criminal behavior orders — to restrict their movements before they can board a train.”
Asked if he was worried Britain could face a summer of riots, he said: “This is coordinated, this is deliberate, this is not a protest that has got out of hand. It is a group of individuals bent on violence.”
Starmer added police would ensure any further disorder “is met with the most robust response in the coming days and weeks.” He also threatened to take action against social media companies, accusing them of allowing violent disorder to be “whipped up” on their platforms. “Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, is also a crime. It is happening on your premises. The law must be upheld everywhere. That is the single most important duty of government. Service rests on security. We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”
One flyer circulated online calls for people to gather in Leeds, stating: “All patriots do this for your town and city against terrorism. What we have seen lately is an attack on British people. Let’s get out in numbers.” The Belfast group calls on “all well-intentioned Christians, parents, and law-abiding citizens” to protest peacefully but urges attendees to march on a local Islamic center, adding: “Bring your Christian flags and banners.”
A group called Southport Wake Up on Telegram released map routes outside mosques in Liverpool, calling for a “mass deportation” of people and “death to traitors.”
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