The UK is in turmoil following the murder of three young girls in Southport, near Liverpool. On Sunday, protesters in Rotherham, northern England, broke into a hotel housing migrants. The BBC reported that 150 people were arrested across the country over the weekend. Downing Street has scheduled a meeting of the COBRA crisis team for Monday. “You will regret your part in this mess,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the rioters.
Although there were far fewer demonstrations planned for Sunday than for Saturday, the demonstrations yesterday were no less violent. In Rotherham, protesters gathered outside a hotel housing migrants awaiting decisions on their asylum applications, among other things. The crowd attacked police officers guarding the building, throwing chairs and other objects at them, and later a group of people broke through the police cordon and entered the hotel, trying to set it on fire. Windows were also smashed.
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The BBC reports that at least 10 police officers were injured, with one of them knocked unconscious after being stabbed in the head. Two others have suspected broken bones, the British broadcaster reported. The British police press service said that hotel staff and residents were “terrified” but that none of them were injured.
Clashes on the Islands
There were also clashes between protesters and police in Middlesbrough in the north-east. Englandwhere cars were set on fire, while in Liverpool, Southport and Bolton police introduced additional restrictions on movement in some areas of the cities.
The BBC reports that 150 people were arrested – in Liverpool, Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Belfast.
Protests and riots on the IslandsMaddie Cookie/Reuters TV
In Bolton, as reported by the British public broadcaster, protesters were confronted by a group of about 300 masked people who were shouting “Allahu akbar” (Arabic for “God is great”). The groups were separated by police in full riot gear, with batons in their hands, supported by mounted police.
There will be a COBRA crisis meeting
Referring again to the riots, Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured on Sunday afternoon that those taking part would “face the full force of the law”.
– I guarantee you will regret taking part in this chaos, whether in person or online. There is no justification for taking such actions. People in this country have the right to safety, and yet we have witnessed attacks on mosques and Muslim communities – said the head of the British government. He emphasized that the events that are taking place are not protests, but violence, and this is not allowed.
A meeting of the crisis committee, known as COBRA, is due to take place on Monday. The BBC reports that it will be aimed at updating the government on the unrest and what it will do in the coming days. The meeting will be attended by representatives of the various services, as well as members of the government.
Main image source: Reuters