Starmer denounces attack on asylum-seeker hotel amid rise in far-right violence in the UK
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vehemently criticized an assault Sunday on a hotel housing refugees that resulted in at least 10 police officers being harmed, one severely, labeling it as “far-right violence,” as additional unrest unfolded across the nation following a stabbing spree at a dance class that resulted in the deaths of three girls and numerous injuries.
In a statement issued from 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon, the prime minister pledged that the authorities will “take all necessary measures to apprehend these criminals” and that justice will be swift.
“I assure you that you will regret participating in this chaos, whether directly involved or those instigating this behavior online and then evading responsibility,” he stated. “This is not a demonstration, it is coordinated, violent thuggery and it is unwelcome on our streets or online.”
Starmer made these remarks following another day of far-right violence, which was particularly severe in the northern England town of Rotherham where law enforcement struggled to contain hundreds of rioters attempting to breach a Holiday Inn Express hotel utilized as accommodation for asylum-seekers.
Prior to gaining control over the riotous situation, police officers equipped with shields faced a barrage of projectiles, including pieces of wood, chairs, and fire extinguishers. A large trash can near a hotel window was also ignited but the small fire was extinguished.
Law enforcement in South Yorkshire, responsible for Rotherham, reported that at least 10 officers sustained injuries, with one losing consciousness.
“The behavior we witnessed was utterly disgraceful. While only a minority of those present chose to engage in violence and destruction, those who stood by and watched are equally complicit,” said Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield. “Our officers are diligently reviewing significant online imagery and footage of those involved, and they should anticipate our imminent arrival at their doorstep.”
Far-right provocateurs have attempted to exploit last week’s stabbing incident by tapping into concerns about the volume of immigration in the U.K., particularly the influx of migrants arriving in small boats from France across the English Channel.
Tensions were also high on Sunday in the northeastern town of Middlesbrough, where some protesters broke free from police supervision. One group marched through a residential area vandalizing windows of homes and vehicles. When questioned by a resident about their actions, one individual replied, “Because we’re English.” Hundreds of others confronted police with shields at the town’s cenotaph, hurling bricks, cans, and pots at officers.
Starmer asserted that anyone targeting individuals based on their ethnicity or religion is aligned with the far-right.
“People in this nation have a right to feel secure, yet we’ve observed Muslim communities targeted, mosques attacked, other minority groups singled out, Nazi salutes in public, assaults on law enforcement, senseless violence coupled with racist rhetoric, so no, I won’t hesitate to call it what it truly is: far-right violence,” he declared.
The recent unrest, which included a library being set ablaze, mosques being targeted, and flares being thrown at a statue of wartime leader Winston Churchill, commenced following false rumors circulating online that the perpetrator of the dance class stabbing attack was an asylum-seeker, fueling outrage among far-right sympathizers.
Individuals under 18 are typically not identified in the U.K., but the judge in the case ordered that Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales to Rwandan parents, be named, partly to prevent the spread of misinformation. Rudakubana has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Numerous individuals have been detained in connection with the unrest and more arrests are anticipated as law enforcement reviews CCTV footage, social media content, and body-worn camera recordings. However, authorities have cautioned that due to extensive security measures in place, with thousands of officers deployed, other criminal activities may not receive full investigations.
Given the large number of arrests, the courts will face a challenge in processing all the charges at a time when the criminal justice system is strained, following years of budget cuts and the COVID pandemic. In May, the National Audit Office warned that the courts were dealing with a backlog of over 60,000 cases, while the government announced last month that a number of inmates would need to be released early to alleviate prison overcrowding.
Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, stated that additional attorneys have been deployed over the weekend and will work “around the clock” in the days ahead to ensure justice is served. He has instructed prosecutors to promptly make charging decisions where substantial evidence is available.
“I am committed to taking swift and decisive action, enabling the courts to deliver sentences that reflect the gravity of the situation,” he added.
Many of the protests in recent days were coordinated online by far-right factions, who garner support with slogans like “enough is enough,” “save our kids,” and “stop the boats.”
Calls to action have originated from various social media accounts, but a prominent figure in amplifying them is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a longstanding far-right instigator who goes by the name Tommy Robinson. He led the English Defense League, which Merseyside Police has connected to the violent demonstration in Southport on Tuesday, near the site of the stabbing incident.
Yaxley-Lennon, 41, was banned from Twitter in 2018 but reinstated after the platform was acquired by Elon Musk and rebranded as X. He boasts over 800,000 followers. He is currently facing an arrest warrant after departing the U.K. last week ahead of a scheduled hearing in contempt-of-court proceedings against him.
Nigel Farage, who was elected to parliament in July for the first time as leader of Reform U.K., has also been criticized by many for indirectly fueling anti-immigrant sentiments. He has attempted to correlate many of the challenges the country faces, such as in healthcare and housing, with the substantial annual population growth of the country.
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Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this report.