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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Karnataka government employees demand return of Old Pension Scheme
Bengaluru: Government employees in Karnataka have urged the state government to scrap the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and bring back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), The New Indian Express reported.
The demand was made by the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association, whose leaders met senior IAS officer Uma Mahadevan on Monday and submitted a memorandum. The association asked the NPS Review Committee, headed by senior IAS officer Anjum Parvez, to recommend the reintroduction of OPS in the state.
Association president C.S. Shadakshari reportedly said the review committee has already visited Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana where NPS was revoked and OPS re-implemented. The committee is yet to submit its report, but has told the government it will do so soon.
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Shadakshari allegedly said NPS has been in force in Karnataka since 2006. He pointed out that West Bengal never adopted the scheme, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana replaced NPS with a contributory pension model.
States including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand have already scrapped NPS through cabinet decisions or budget announcements.
“Under NPS, 10% of the employees’ basic salary and DA, and 14% contribution from the state is credited to the employees’ fund. It constitutes 24% of the total which is non-withdrawable. This is invested in the share market and the final amount depends on the ups and downs of the market,” TNIE quoted Shadakshar as saying.
As per the report, he said that by limiting its contribution to 14%, the government could save up to ₹1.87 lakh crore annually if all vacancies are filled, strengthening the case for bringing back the old pension system.
