UK faces worst riots in 13 years; over 100 arrested as far-right protesters clash with counter-protesters: Key developments

NEW DELHI: UK authorities are under intense pressure to end the worst riots in history 13 yearsthat spread across the country due to riots linked to child murders and fueled by far-right agitators.
The unrest, fuelled by false reports of a mass stabbing that killed three girls, has led to violent protests and clashes with police in cities including Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a major test as the violence is straining police resources and could impact on the investigation of other crimes. The situation has caused significant disruption and concern in local communities.
Here are the latest developments:
Dozens arrested after violent protests in UK
UK police arrested dozens of people after protests turned violent in parts of England and Northern Ireland on Saturday, with the government vowing to crack down on those exploiting the murder of three young girls to cause chaos.
Hundreds of anti-immigration groups have protested in cities across Britain after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a children’s dance class in Southport last week.
Anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups have spread false information that the suspect was a radical Islamic migrant. Police have confirmed that the suspect was born in Britain, and media reports say his family is Christian.
UK police: Far-right violence drains resources
Police warned on Sunday that handling violence from far-right protests, sparked by a false report of a knife attack, could hamper investigations into other crimes. The protests erupted after a stabbing at a dance class left three girls dead. Violent clashes have erupted across the UK, including Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol, with dozens of people arrested.
The protests have led to serious disruption, including the burning of a community centre in Liverpool. Authorities are deploying more police and using surveillance to control the situation. New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to crack down on far-right violence.
Bricks, bottles and razor blades: violence takes a violent turn
In some cases, protesters threw bricks, bottles and flares at police — injuring several officers — looted and burned stores, while protesters shouted anti-Islamic insults as they clashed with counter-protesters.
The violence is the worst England has seen since the summer of 2011, when widespread rioting erupted after the killing of a mixed-race man by police in north London.
“We’ve had riots and conflicts of this nature, but they’ve been concentrated in specific areas of the country. Now we’re seeing it flooding into larger cities and towns,” said Tiffany Lynch, of the Police Federation of England and Wales.
“Criminal disorder and violence” says UK government
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned crowds that they would “pay the price” for such “criminal disorder and violence”.
“Addressing the scenes of disorder we have seen, the Prime Minister has stated that the police have our full support in taking action against extremists on our streets who are attacking officers, disrupting local businesses and trying to sow hatred by intimidating communities,” Downing Street said after a high-level meeting of ministers called by Starmer on Saturday.
“The Prime Minister concluded by saying that the right to freedom of expression and the violent disorder we have seen are two very different things. He said there is no excuse for violence of any kind and reiterated that the government supports the police in taking all necessary measures to keep our streets safe,” the statement added.
Religious and racial issues
The far-right protests have been fuelled by misinformation about the identity of the 17-year-old suspect accused of the Southport stabbing that left three girls dead. The misinformation, widely spread on social media, has stirred anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments among protesters, as reported by The Guardian news agency.
Counter-protests have emerged in response to the far-right demonstrations, with several groups, including anti-racism campaigners and religious leaders, calling for calm. In Belfast, a large anti-racist demonstration took place, aiming to counteract anti-Islam sentiments expressed by a smaller group. Similarly, in Leeds and Nottingham, counter-protesters clashed with far-right protesters, denouncing racism and xenophobia.