UK sees worst riots in 13 years fueled by false rumours; Over 100 arrested
London: England is experiencing its most significant riots in 13 years, sparked by widespread disturbances linked to child murders and anti-immigration protests. The unrest was reportedly ignited by false rumours circulating online that the suspect in a recent mass stabbing was a Muslim and an immigrant. This misinformation fueled anger among far-right supporters, who clashed with anti-racism protesters over the weekend.
The violence erupted following a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport, near Liverpool, where three young girls were fatally stabbed. In response, anti-immigration demonstrators took to the streets, targeting asylum-seeker accommodations. On August 3, a mob attempted to break into a Holiday Inn Express hotel in Nottingham, where asylum seekers were housed.
The rioting has spread across multiple towns and cities, including Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool, Hull, and Belfast. In Rotherham, South Yorkshire, masked demonstrators smashed windows at a hotel used to shelter asylum seekers. The clashes have involved rioters throwing bricks, bottles, and flares at police, resulting in injuries to several officers and damage to shops.
The Police Federation of England and Wales described the unrest as the worst since the 2011 riots, following the police shooting of a mixed-race man in north London. Tiffany Lynch from the Federation stated, "We're now seeing it [trouble] flooding across major cities and towns." In response, the government has mobilized thousands of extra police officers, asserting that law enforcement has "all the resources they need" to address the disorder.
The violence has been exacerbated by disinformation, particularly false claims about 17-year-old suspect Axel Rudakubana, who has been charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder. Judge Andrew Menary authorized the identification of Rudakubana, born in Wales to Rwandan parents, to counteract the spread of false information.
National Police Chiefs’ Council's BJ Harrington confirmed the arrest of 147 individuals linked to the violence, with numbers expected to rise. The authorities attribute the escalation to disinformation and have urged the public to verify information before acting.
The protests, often organized online by far-right groups, have adopted slogans like "Enough is enough" and "Stop the boats," reflecting broader anti-immigration sentiments. While some demonstrations have remained peaceful, others have descended into violence, targeting mosques and leading to increased security at Islamic centers.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the unrest as "far-right thuggery" and highlighted that Muslim communities were being targeted. Starmer, recently elected after a decisive Labour victory, announced measures to enhance intelligence sharing, deploy facial-recognition technology, and impose criminal behaviour orders to prevent troublemakers from traveling.
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UP CM Adityanath's plane makes emergency landing in Agra due to technical snag
Agra/Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI): An aircraft carrying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an emergency landing at the Agra airport shortly after take off due to a technical snag, officials said.
The chief minister resumed his journey to Lucknow after over two hours, they said.
Adityanath was in Agra for a public event to mark the eighth anniversary of the BJP government in the state.
"After the programme, the chief minister was scheduled to leave from the Kheria Airport in Agra around 3.30 pm. The aircraft took off but returned shortly apparently due to a snag, which was then inspected by officials," a police official told PTI.
"The chief minister finally resumed his onward journey around 5.30 pm from Kheria," the official added.
Senior Agra district administration and police officials remained at the airport while the chief minister waited there. BJP supporters and local politicians were also present outside the airport.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 128 projects worth Rs 635.22 crore at 'Vikas Utsav' held in Agra to mark the completion of eight years of his government.
"Residents of Agra now have access to metro rail services, officially making Agra a metro city. The construction of the civil terminal at the airport is in its final stages," he said, adding that previous governments failed to provide these facilities.
