POLICE, FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS CLASH IN UK CITIES AS UNREST SPREADS
There has been an appalling scenes of riots in some cities of the United Kingdom (UK).
This followed a false information that had spread rapidly on social media.
The misinformation asserted that the suspect in Monday’s knife attack at a dance class for children in Southport was a Muslim immigrant.
All the three young girls that were stabbed had died.
What ensued became a clash between a group that had been taking part in an anti-racism rally outside St George’s Hall coming face-to-face with an anti-immigration demonstration at the Pier Head.
There were more clashes between the far-right protesters and the police at several rallies in Hull, Halifax, Liverpool, London, Southport and Rotherham on Saturday and continuing into Sunday.
It became a day and night of chaos leading from Saturday into Sunday as the protest turned violent with rioting following in Walton.
As the clash persisted, the far-right also torched Rotherham Holiday Inn migrant hotel used to house asylum seekers.
Merseyside police gave a figure of 300 people involved in the violent disorder on County Road on Saturday night.
The fracas lasted into the early hours of Sunday and sustained, with fire set on a community library.
Not less than Twenty three (23) arrests were made during the day across Merseyside and more are expected to follow.
A number of police officers were reportedly injured as the violence spilled out into the city's main shopping areas, including Church Street after a 'Save Our Kids' demonstration near the Liver Building was staged at 2pm.
In the afternoon, crowds gathered at the Pier Head with the police and their dogs arrived in riot vans, and descended on the area.
There were bricks, bottles and other items thrown towards police by the rioters inflicting injuries on several officers.
In the evening, people began to assemble near County Road Mosque in Walton at around 8.30pm after far-right social media channels had called for a gathering.
Police closed off parts of County Road after large numbers of people engaged in further "serious violent disorder."
Large numbers of people gathered on the street in tense scenes that continued through the night.
Protests had been planned across the country after the murder of three girls in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Police named the suspect as a 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire, who was born in Cardiff, Wales.
The defendant is charged with the murder of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, in Southport on Monday.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as with possession of a kitchen knife with a curved blade.
UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer spoke and warned the far-right thugs who participated in violence that they would “regret” it and feel the “full force of the law.”
Addressing the nation following the days of chaos across England, the prime minister said: “The police will be making arrests. Individuals will be held on remand, charges will follow and convictions will follow.
“I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves.
“This is not a protest, it is organised, violent thuggery and it has no place on our streets or online.”
