Police in the United Kingdom were monitoring numerous planned far-right gatherings across the country on Wednesday, following disorder that has erupted in multiple locations in the past week as a result of shocking knife attack that claimed the lives of three young girls and left 10 others injured in the northwestern English town of Southport.
The attack at a children’s summer dance class on July 29 has triggered violent anti-immigrant riots across the UK, fueled by false social media claims that the suspect was a radical Islamist migrant.
London’s Metropolitan Police said it was ready to use “every power, tactic and tool” to protect the capital amid fears of potential disorder.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned on social media platform X that he was aware of reports of a far-right group planning to target locations in London, and stated he was working with police to protect targeted buildings. The mayor said that Muslim and minority ethnic communities were feeling “scared and fearful”.
Police sources told Sky News they were aware of more than “100 events and 30 counterprotests” planned on Wednesday, with 41 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales expecting activity. More than 6,000 specialist officers have been mobilized in anticipation of potential violence.
Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said those involved in unrest can expect to be rapidly processed through the courts, with “substantive sentencing” taking place “before the end of this week”.
Twenty more people were charged on Wednesday in connection with rioting in parts of England during the last week, in addition to the 120 who were charged on Tuesday, said the Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, which is the public agency responsible for conducting criminal prosecutions in England and Wales. More than 420 people have been arrested so far, reported Sky News.
US billionaire Elon Musk may face a summons to appear before UK lawmakers to address social media site X’s alleged involvement in inciting far-right disturbances across the country, reported British news outlets.
Musk, the owner of X, has launched a verbal attack on Starmer using far-right messages and images to attack the prime minister personally, appearing to fan the flames of discontent. In one post, Musk said “civil war is inevitable” in the UK, and claimed that the response to riots by British police had been “one-sided”.
When questioned by the BBC about Musk’s comments after the emergency meeting, the prime minister repeatedly refused to be drawn on the issue.
He said: “My focus is on ensuring that our communities are safe. That is my sole focus and I think it’s very important for us all to support the police in what they’re doing.”
Conservative member of Parliament Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, told Sky News the government had “made a mistake” by not showing “equal treatment” to all forms of violence.
He referred to incidents in Birmingham on Monday where, following unfounded rumors of a far-right gathering, crowds of Muslim men became violent, attacking a pub and damaging cars.
