UK police urged to protect mosques amid rise in far-right rallies

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Police across England have been urged to protect mosques and asylum seeker accommodations as the country braces for at least 19 far-right rallies in the coming days.

The call for increased security from community leaders follows violent demonstrations that have spread from Southport to cities, including London, Hartlepool, Manchester, and Aldershot, after a tragic stabbing incident at a children’s holiday club on Monday.

The unrest intensified as unfounded online rumors falsely claimed the suspect in the Southport murders was Muslim, leading to attacks on mosques in Southport and Hartlepool on Tuesday and Wednesday.The suspect was identified on Thursday as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana.

The demonstrations also saw asylum seeker accommodations in Manchester and Aldershot targeted by protesters brandishing placards with messages like "deport them, don’t support them" and "no apartments for illegals."

In central London, demonstrators threw flares and cans while chanting "rule Britannia," "save our kids," and the previous Conservative government’s slogan, "Stop the boats."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an emergency meeting Thursday with police leaders at Downing Street in response to violent disorder in several towns across England following the tragic Southport stabbings.

He announced the formation of a new national violent disorder unit.

The unit is intended to improve intelligence gathering on known "extremist troublemakers" and enhance coordination and rapid response across different regions to prevent and control riots more effectively.