Germany ‘outraged’ by violent xenophobic riots in UK

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday said that is “outraged” by the latest wave of xenophobic riots in the UK.

“We strongly condemn the violent riots, the violent xenophobic riots that we have witnessed in Great Britain,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer at a press briefing in Berlin.

Britain has been the scene of far-right, anti-immigration demonstrations — fueled by conspiracy theories spread on social media — which erupted into violence in seven cities across the nation.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday called the violent rioters "far-right thuggery," warning that those taking part in the violent disorder on the streets would "regret."

In his address to the nation on the ongoing violent disorder, Starmer said there is "no doubt" that those who have participated in this violence will face "the full force of the law."

"I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly, or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves," the prime minister said, adding that "this is not protest," but "organized violent thuggery."

Starmer declared that it has no place on UK streets or online, citing attacks on a hotel in Rotherham in which windows were smashed, the building was set ablaze, and guests and staff were terrified.

"There is no justification, none for taking this action, and all right-minded people should be condemning this sort of violence," he said.

"People in this country have a right to be safe and yet we have seen Muslim communities targeted and attacks on mosques... So, I won't shy away from calling it what it is, far-right thuggery," Starmer said.

He added: "If you target a person because of the color of skin, religion this is far-right."

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper decried the rioters who targeted a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, calling it "utterly appalling."

"Deliberately setting fire to a building with people known to be inside. South Yorkshire Police have full Government support for the strongest action against those responsible," she noted.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney also expressed concern over the incidents in Rotherham, saying that they, like other events in recent days, are "the product of far-right racist thuggery."

"Racism must be confronted whenever and wherever it appears," he wrote on X.