The UK has seen its worst civil unrest in more than a decade, with far-right groups and anti-racism campaigners clashing in cities across the country, The Guardian reported on Saturday, August 3. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the police will have the full support of the government to take the most decisive action. “Criminal violence and disorder have no place on the streets of Britain,” she said.
“Anyone involved in criminal disorder and violent thuggery on our streets will have to pay a price and they should expect to face arrests, prosecutions, fines and the full force of the law, including imprisonment and travel bans. Violation of the law entails consequences,” the minister emphasized.
During the protests, which spread across the country, bricks and bottles were reportedly thrown at police officers, fireworks were set off, and several law enforcement officers were injured.
The riots began after the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-style dance class in Southport on Monday, The Guardian reports.
“Axel Rudakuban, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims have circulated online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat. Following these reports, far-right protesters, driven by social media, gathered in cities across the country,” the publication says.
It is noted that officers have been returned from vacation across the UK to deploy an additional 130 auxiliary police units – about 2 thousand officers.
