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Far-right violence spreads across UK, prompting heavy security buildup

Sunday, 04 August 2024 2:01 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 04 August 2024 2:01 AM ]

Police officers are seen protecting themselves from bricks being thrown at them in Liverpool on August 3, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Multiple instances of far-right violence have been reported across the United Kingdom, prompting the country to ramp up security measures nationwide.

Various media outlets reported the incidents on Saturday, saying far-right groups had been using a recent deadly stabbing attack in northwestern England to vent xenophobic hatred. The groups have also been spreading false rumors that the attack, staged by a non-Muslim 17-year-old, was carried out by a Muslim immigrant in order to be able to justify Islamophobic violence.

The most widely reported incident took place in Liverpool, where the police described taking place of a “serious disorder” that injured a number of officers.

“Let’s call this out for what it is — mindless thuggery by people looking for an excuse to spew hatred and carry out acts of violence," said Liverpool City region Mayor Steve Rotheram.

Three officers were also injured and as many people arrested in the northeastern city of Hull, where violent elements smashed the windows of a hotel accommodating migrants.

Right-wing activists also caused a standoff with the law enforcement in Bristol, prompting many arrests. They also marched on a hotel housing asylum seekers in the city.

“Some of the behavior we have seen is completely unacceptable and we will use all the powers available to us to deal with it," said Avon and Somerset Police, which oversees the city.

Scuffles were also reported in Belfast, Manchester, Nottingham, the seaside town of Blackpool, and Stoke-on-Trent in central England, where ruffians pelted the police with bricks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blamed the violence on “far-right hatred.”

Responding to the incidents and preparing for more likely violence, the police have deployed thousands more officers onto the streets, many in riot gear.

They have also freed up more prison cells in case of more arrests, and have resorted to surveillance operations and facial recognition technology to identify perpetrators.

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