Far-right confrontations with police spread across northern UK cities

SMA NEWS – LONDON
Violence and unrest expected to continue following fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport
Far-right protests have taken place across the UK on Saturday, with demonstrators clashing with riot police.
The protests and counter-demonstrations took place in several cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Stoke, Hull, Nottingham and Belfast.
They followed another night of riots during which a mosque in Sunderland was attacked and several cases of arson were recorded.
Protesters shouting “stop the boats”, in support of far-right agitator Tommy Robinson have been met with anti-racism protesters in some locations.

Manchester has seen scuffles between protesters and police in the city centre, with two arrests so far, one of which was for drunk and disorderly behaviour.

Police officers face far-right protesters in Liverpool. PA

Protesters in Hull smashed a window at a hotel housing asylum seekers, while in Stoke footage appeared to show stones and fireworks being thrown in the direction of police and counter-protesters.

In Liverpool, several police officers were injured while dealing with “serious disorder”, Merseyside Police said.

Bricks, bottles and a flare were also thrown at officers as they lined The Strand in the city centre.

Another officer was kicked and knocked off his motorcycle by a demonstrator and others tried to kick riot shields.

In Hull, four people have been arrested as three officers were hurt during a protest in which a group of people targeted a hotel which houses asylum seekers.

Humberside Police Chief Superintendent Darren Wildbore said officers have “faced eggs and bottles being thrown” as windows were smashed at the hotel which has housed migrants.

Riot police protect a mosque in Sunderland from far-right protesters. Getty Images

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said those engaging in violent disorder “will pay the price” and that “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets”.

Violence broke out in the city of Sunderland on Friday night after a planned protest linked to the murder of three young girls in a knife attack in Southport earlier this week.

Hundreds of people gathered in Sunderland city centre, many of them draped in England flags and chanting anti-Islam slogans.

The protest, organised under the slogan “Enough is enough”, descended into violence, with some demonstrators overturning a car that had been set on fire, while others gathered in front of a mosque, which police moved in to protect.

A mosque in Southport also came under attack on Tuesday, a day after the three girls were stabbed to death at a summer club, which was followed by the spread of misinformation suggesting an asylum seeker on a terrorism watch list was responsible.

On Friday night, a police station in Sunderland city centre was attacked, cars were set on fire, and an office of the Citizens Advice Bureau, which provides free assistance to members of the public, was burnt down.

Northumbria Police Chief Superintendent Helena Barron said three officers had been taken to hospital to get treatment for their injuries.

“Anyone involved in the disorder we have seen can expect to be dealt with robustly, and that action has already begun,” she said.

“Eight people have so far been arrested for a range of offences, including violent disorder and burglary. A full investigation is now under way to identify anyone else responsible.”

Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson condemned the violent scenes, which he described as “criminal thuggery”.

“I am appalled by the disorder in the centre of Sunderland tonight. Our city is not represented by a tiny minority causing trouble,” he said in a post on social media.

Police across Britain had been braced for violence fuelled by an organised disinformation campaign by far-right agitators.