A far-right mob torched a Sunderland police station on Friday as eight people were arrested amid violent disorder that saw a mosque surrounded by rioters. Several hundred protesters, some dressed in balaclavas and draped in the England flag, descended on Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where the police station was sat alight and a police car was overturned. It comes as several counter-protests have been planned across the country in response to the far-right demonstrations which are set to take place across 35 towns and cities this weekend. Eight people were arrested during Sunderland’s riot for offences like violent disorder and burglary, with three police officers rushed to hospital. The protests follow misinformation on social media about a stabbing attack on Monday in Southport, Merseyside, in which three children were killed. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has put police forces on an emergency footing and home secretary Yvette Cooper warned “criminals attacking the police” would “pay the price for violence and thuggery”.
Sunderland riot and protests today latest: Far-right sets fire to police station and more violence feared
Southport stabbing suspect arrives at Liverpool court charged with murder of children
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A far-right mob torched a Sunderland police station on Friday as eight people were arrested amid violent disorder that saw a mosque surrounded by rioters.
Several hundred protesters, some dressed in balaclavas and draped in the England flag, descended on Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where the police station was sat alight and a police car was overturned.
It comes as several counter-protests have been planned across the country in response to the far-right demonstrations which are set to take place across 35 towns and cities this weekend.
Eight people were arrested during Sunderland’s riot for offences like violent disorder and burglary, with three police officers rushed to hospital.
The protests follow misinformation on social media about a stabbing attack on Monday in Southport, Merseyside, in which three children were killed.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has put police forces on an emergency footing and home secretary Yvette Cooper warned “criminals attacking the police” would “pay the price for violence and thuggery”.
Have you been affected by this incident? Email alexander.butler@independent.co.uk
Key Points
Show latest update 1722675041
‘Rioting thugs’ cannot win, shadow home secretary says
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly has shared a post on his X account, saying “we cannot let rioting thugs and extremists win”.
He urged the government to “back our police to do what is necessary to maintain law and order and stop any further escalation”.
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:50
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Nation braces for weekend of far-right violence with 35 protests in wake of Southport stabbing
Far-right rioters have been told they will face the full force of the law as police brace for a weekend of violence, with 35 protests planned in the wake of the killing of three children in Southport.
In a warning to organisers, Home Office minister Lord Hanson vowed “we will be watching you” to prevent the “summer madness” from spreading following a string of violent clashes, as police chiefs said they will not tolerate far-right thugs exploiting the nation’s grief.
Dozens of demonstrations planned across the country have stoked fears of widespread unrest amid rising far-right anger over Monday’s atrocity, which saw three girls aged nine, seven and six fatally stabbed and eight more wounded at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:40
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‘Shame’ on far-right using Southport incident to create disorder, says ex-chief constable
Former chief constable of Northumbria Police Sue Sim said the police were “well-trained” in disorder and would act and arrest those involved.
“This incident is being used by people of an apparent far-right tendency to create mass disorder across this country all I can say is shame on you.
“Those beautiful children’s deaths should not allow such violent disorder to occur,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
To those considering attending, she said: “Do you want to cause further pain and heartache to those beautiful little girls’ families?”
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:36
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Pictured: Sunderland disorder
A man, dressed in a balaclava and England flag, carries a can of beer during violent disorder in Sunderland on Friday (PA)People protest in Sunderland city centre following the stabbing attacks on Monday in Southport (Scott Heppell/PA) (PA Wire)
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:26
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Debunked: How did social media fuel the Southport rioters?
Debunked: How did social media fuel the Southport rioters?
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:23
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EDL could be proscribed as terror group, Jenrick suggests
Robert Jenrick has condemned “far-right” organising of riots across the country and said “if there is a case” for proscribing the EDL it should be “considered.”
He said the violence across the country must be “condemned unequivocally across the political spectrum”.
Asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether he would also condemn the far-right organising as part of the disorder, Mr Jenrick said: “Yes, absolutely. That there are elements of the far right apparently involved in these protests – we need to ensure that the police have all the support that they need.”
Repeatedly pressed on whether the EDL should be proscribed given former supporters appeared to be involved in the violence, he said: “If it meets the threshold for proscription, which is a high mark, then it definitely needs to be considered.”
A police car is set on fire by far-right protesters in Sunderland (Getty Images)
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 09:01
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Pictured: Sunderland riots
Ten riot officers form a line amid violent protests in Sunderland on Friday evening (Getty Images)A mounted police officer looks on as Sunderland was rocked by rioting on Friday (Getty Images)
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 08:52
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Robert Jenrick criticises Nigel Farage
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has criticised Nigel Farage’s remarks about the Southport stabbings, saying they did not “make the situation better”.
Asked for his view on the remarks from the Reform UK leader, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t follow all the comments that Nigel Farage says but I don’t think any of us should be doing anything to make the job of the police more difficult at this time.”
Asked whether Mr Farage’s comments had made the police’s job more difficult, he said: “I don’t think they made the situation better did they?
“So I think we should all be choosing our words carefully, backing the police to the hilt and doing everything we can to ensure our streets are safe and this violence, which I’m worried is escalating, comes to an end as swiftly as possible.”
People protest in Sunderland city centre (Scott Heppell/PA) (PA Wire)
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 08:49
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Lewis Atkinson ‘really sad’ for Sunderland after arson
Lewis Atkinson MP said he was “really sad” for Sunderland after the disorder but said the “racists” who descended on the city last night do not “at all represent” it.
“The fact that some far-right racists decided to turn up in Sunderland does not at all represent our city,” the Sunderland Central MP told BBC Radio 4.
“A night of idiots will not prevent us from building.”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar3 August 2024 08:45
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Link between riots and EDL, MP says
Asked how last night had happened, Labour MP for Sunderland Central Lewis Atkinson said protests started being suggested by people in a number of social media groups in the wake of the Southport stabbings.
“The far right, for example Stephen Yaxley Lennon, picked up on those and started promoting those and encouraging known far right individuals to join,” Mr Atkinson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Asked whether a link could be drawn with the EDL, he said: “I can draw a link because last night one of the flags on the street bore the reference to the North East Infidels, which is a Nazi, EDL offshoot from the north east chapter of what was the EDL.”
A link can be drawn between the disorder in Sunderland and the English Defence League (EDL) which was founded Tommy Robinson, the local MP has said.
Alexander Butler3 August 2024 08:40
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sunderland-riot-latest-southport-police-protest-stabbing-b2590465.html