News Analysis: U.K. riots bring racism, policing, disinformation, migration into focus

U.K. riots escalate following tragic murders, sparking debates on far-right extremism, law enforcement, and online misinformation.

Riots have spread across several U.K. towns and cities following the killing of three children, Alice Aguiar (9), Bebe King (6) and Elsie Stancombe (7) and the injury of several others during a knife attack in Southport on July 29.  

Disinformation and, presumably, misinformation that an undocumented migrant and Muslim was behind the attacks spread quickly on social media. The main suspect in the case is neither Muslim nor an asylum seeker but  17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in the U.K. to Rwandan parents who arrived in the country in 2002.

Also read: U.K. grapples with its worst riots in 13 years spurred by far-right agitators

Following the Southport murders, rioters attacked a mosque in the town while people were inside it. Riots spread to other places in England, including Liverpool, London, Middlesbrough, as well as in Northern Ireland. Tommy Robinson, former leader of the far right English Defence League was among those stoking tensions online.

 On Sunday, August 4, 2024, a mob of 700 far right rioters had descended upon the Holiday Inn in Rotheram which housed asylum seekers, smashing its windows, entering the premises, and lighting fires outside. They had also attempted to set the building on fire as per the police. On Tuesday, Jordan Palour became the first person to be convinced on grounds of racial hatred, after he posted messages on Facbook and attacked a hotel with asylum seekers. Britain has not witnessed such riots since 2011, when a Black man was shot by police in London.

In response to the threat of far right riots, hundreds took to the street in Birmingham on the evening of August 5, including some waving Palestinian flags, following reports that far right protestors had planned a march there. A group of Muslim youth attacked several vehicles and a pub, The Clumsy Swan, in Birmingham. On Tuesday, several members of the local Muslim community posted a video with the pub staff , in which they apologized for the group’s violence.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response thus far has emphasised  that his government is strong on law-and-order matters. The Prime Minister, a former public prosecutor, has honed a centrist image , and his Labour party campaign had promised that it would “return law and order to our streets”.