Anti-immigration protests: UK grapples with worst unrest in 13 years

London: Authorities in the UK are facing mounting pressure to quell the worst rioting England has witnessed in over a decade. The disturbances, sparked by false information about a recent mass stabbing, have spread across several towns and cities, leading to clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators and police.

The violence, which erupted following a tragic incident where three young girls were killed, presents a significant challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who assumed office just a month ago after a decisive electoral victory for the Labour Party.

In the latest incident on Sunday, tensions flared in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where masked demonstrators vandalised a hotel used to accommodate asylum seekers. Over 90 individuals were arrested on Saturday during far-right rallies in cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool, Hull, and Belfast, resulting in injuries to police officers and damage to property.

The unrest marks the most serious outbreak since the 2011 riots that followed a police shooting in north London. "We're now seeing it (trouble) flooding across major cities and towns," said Tiffany Lynch of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

The government has assured that police have been provided with adequate resources to manage the disorder, including the deployment of additional officers to prevent further escalation. Policing minister Diana Johnson told BBC News on Sunday that the rioting would "not be tolerated", while justice minister Shabana Mahmood has insisted that "the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible".

The disturbances stem from misinformation circulating on social media regarding the background of a British-born 17-year-old suspect involved in the stabbing incident. Police attribute the violence to supporters and affiliated groups of the English Defence League, an anti-Islam organization known for its history of hooliganism.

Several mosques have been targeted during the unrest, prompting heightened security measures across Islamic centres to safeguard worshippers. Far-right social media platforms have promoted the rallies under the slogan "Enough is enough," advocating stringent immigration controls.

Anti-fascist demonstrators have held counter-rallies in many cities, including Leeds where they shouted, "Nazi scum off our streets", as the far-right protesters chanted, "You're not English any more".

While some demonstrations remained peaceful, others saw participants chanting slogans against immigration and waving national flags. "People are fed up with being told you should be ashamed if you're white and working class but I'm proud white working class," 41-year-old Karina, who did not give her surname, told AFP in Nottingham on Saturday.

Commentators suggest that online influencers and recent political shifts towards anti-immigration sentiments have emboldened demonstrators. Carla Denyer, co-leader of the left-wing Green party said the unrest should be "a wake-up call to all politicians who have actively promoted or given in" to anti-immigration rhetoric.

Prime Minister Starmer condemned the violence as exploitation of national grief to incite hatred. He announced new measures to enhance intelligence-sharing, expand facial-recognition technology deployment, and impose criminal behaviour orders to restrict troublemakers' movements.

Agencies