Riots have taken place in towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom following false information spread online that the suspect in a knife attack on a children’s dance class in Southport on Monday, in which three young girls were killed, was a Muslim migrant.
On Tuesday, rioters descended on Southport and attacked a mosque, clashing with and injuring police officers. Authorities have since said the suspect in the Southport stabbing case, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born in Britain. But rioting and attacks on mosques and other buildings have continued.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “In light of the disgraceful threats and attacks that local mosques have also faced in many communities, the government is providing rapid additional support through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, alongside the support from local police forces.”
There have been riots in Belfast in Northern Ireland, Bristol in south-west England, London in the south east, and numerous towns and cities throughout the midlands and north of England such as Blackpool, Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Stoke-on-Trent and Sunderland.
Anti-racist groups have also mobilized, organizing counter demonstrations in several towns. In Liverpool, police intervened to prevent clashes between far right rioters and antifascists on Saturday.
Later that day, rioters set a library on fire, burned books and attempted to prevent firefighters from reaching the blaze, Merseyside Police said. They made 23 arrests.