UK dispatches 6,000 officers to suppress riots

UK readies 6,000 specialist police to manage far-right riots following the murder of three children.

On Monday, six were arrested and several officers injured in Plymouth by rioters throwing bricks and fireworks. In Belfast, rioters targeted a shop owned by a foreign national, injuring a man in his 30s in a racially motivated assault.

In Birmingham, a Sky News reporter was forced off air by men shouting “Free Palestine”, with one man wielding a knife. Another reporter was chased by a group, and there was damage to a pub and car.

The violence began after three children were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, sparking riots in several cities and hundreds of arrests. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander announced extra prison places and 6,000 police officers to handle the unrest.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an emergency meeting, promising swift sanctions. The NPCC reported 378 arrests, with more to follow. Clashes erupted in Southport the day after the stabbing incident.

False rumors on social media initially claimed the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker.

The suspect, later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born in Wales to parents from Rwanda, which has few Muslims.

Despite this, mosques have been targeted by rioters. The government has provided emergency security to Islamic places of worship.

In Burnley, a hate crime investigation began after gravestones in a Muslim cemetery section were vandalized with grey paint. Local councillor Afrasiab Anwar condemned the act, calling it a provocation of racial tensions.

The prime minister warned rioters they would “regret” their actions, while Interior Minister Yvette Cooper promised a “reckoning” and noted social media’s role in escalating the violence. Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that criminal law applies both online and offline.

On Tuesday, Alexander criticized Elon Musk for claiming a “civil war” in the UK was “inevitable,” calling his statement deeply irresponsible.

Police have attributed the violence to individuals linked to the defunct English Defence League, a far-right Islamophobic group, with rallies advertised under the banner “Enough is enough.”