The British police fear renewed riots. After mosques and asylum accommodation, advice centres could now be targeted by right-wing extremists.
London – The ongoing violent unrest in England has led to 6,000 police officers being mobilized for what is being dubbed the “Big Day.” According to media reports, British police are expecting far-right riots in 30 different locations on that day, August 7, including the capital London. SkyNews reported this, citing security sources, although there are concerns about whether the number of police forces will be sufficient.
Labour leader Starmer meets with crisis team Cobra over riots in Britain
The unrest has so far affected towns across England, while Scotland and Wales have so far been spared. Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer chaired another meeting of the national crisis team Cobra on Tuesday evening to discuss the situation. He told reporters he expected “substantial convictions” of rioters this week.
The far-right riots began after a knife attack in Southport in which three girls were killed. False information was spread online that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker, but the police deny this. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Britain experiences worst unrest since 2011
John Hayes, a 63-year-old businessman who intervened during the attack in Southport and was stabbed in the leg, told British broadcaster Radio4that he believed the Southport incident was “just a catalyst or trigger, not the real reason for the riots”. He suggested that the government should treat the “causes rather than the symptoms” rather than just announcing a crackdown on perpetrators.
These riots are the worst in Britain since the protests in 2011 that erupted after the police shot dead black family man Mark Duggan in north London. The British Guardian recalled that at that time there were more than 3,000 arrests and more than 2,000 charges for various crimes related to the riots throughout England.
The cost of the 2011 riots was estimated at more than £400 million (more than €465 million today) and they were described as the worst riots in 200 years. In the subsequent Reading the Riots survey by the Guardian A survey of 270 people involved in the riots found that Duggan’s death sparked “widespread anger and frustration” about the way police treat people in their everyday lives, with 85 percent of respondents expressing criticism of the police.
Riots in England spread to Northern Ireland
In the right-wing extremist unrest of the last few days, security forces, asylum seekers’ accommodation and mosques were attacked. Cars and buildings were set on fire and various objects were used as projectiles. Dozens of police officers were injured. It is expected that on “Big Day” law firms and advice centres that support asylum seekers with their applications could be targeted by right-wing extremist rioters.
There were also violent riots in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. A man was seriously injured when he was attacked by a group. Police suspect hatred as the motive for the attack and assume that paramilitary forces were involved. Despite the end of the Northern Irish civil war more than 25 years ago, there are still armed splinter groups from the Protestant and Catholic camps. It is believed that Protestant forces are responsible for the riots. (frs with dpa)
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