More than 100 people have been arrested in London as further protests took place across the country in the wake of the Southport stabbings. Violent outbreaks have taken place across Britain, including unrest in Hartlepool, Manchester, and Aldershot.
Police in Hartlepool were attacked with missiles, glass bottles and eggs, Cleveland Police said. A police car was also set alight during the violence after a large group of people gathered in the Murray Street area of Hartlepool on Wednesday evening.
In Manchester, demonstrators turned out in large numbers outside the Holiday Inn hotel on Oldham Road at around 6pm, the Manchester Evening News reported. Around 40 people, which the paper reports included children and men wearing balaclavas, gathered outside the Oldham Road premises in what the paper said “appeared to be a stand against asylum seekers currently being housed in the hotel”.
In Aldershot, local MP Alex Baker took to social media to rebuke violence in her community, stating that there is “no justification for disorderly behaviour and the scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough”. “I have been liaising with Hampshire Police this evening regarding a significant incident at Potter’s International Hotel in Aldershot, where a peaceful protest descended into intimidating behaviour,” she said in a statement shared on X.
“I have visited the scene myself this evening and have been in touch with the Chief Inspector. This incident was exacerbated by people from outside our community who came here determined to cause unrest. I would like to pay tribute to the brave police officers who worked hard to restore order.
“There is no justification for disorderly behaviour and the scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough. We all support our shared right to peacefully protest, but we will not stand for people coming into our towns determined to stir up trouble and divide our community.”
In London, a large protest was staged under the title of Enough is Enough, with arrests made after demonstrators clashed with officers in Whitehall on Wednesday. The Metropolitan Police said: “Over 100 people have been arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. Some officers suffered minor injuries.”
Demonstrators were seen launching beer cans and glass bottles at a line of police in riot gear in front of Downing Street and throwing flares onto the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. The angry scenes also included loud chants of “we want our country back” and “Oh Tommy Robinson”, referring to the right-wing activist.
Cleveland Police also said it had made eight arrests for various offences including public order and affray after violence broke out in Hartlepool on Wednesday, with more arrests expected. Road closures have been lifted, but a visible police presence remains in the area, the force said.
Chief superintendent David Sutherland said: “At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week. Our officers are facing missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them and have made arrests as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those living in the community.”
In Manchester, local councillor John Flanagan took to social media to respond to the violence, labelling those involved in the “sickening” incident as “mindless idiots”. “I’d like to condemn these mindless thugs, attacking innocent men who are asylum seekers.
"They have been there for months and we have not had any issues or problems. They have been in a place of safety,” the councillor for Newton Heath said.
“It’s sickening to think they are being targeted because of their race or their religion, and I hope this isn’t tied with the disgraceful scenes in Southport where a mosque was attacked last night. These idiots are attacking innocent people. My initial reaction is to contact GMP and support them.
"The whole of the city and reasonable thinking people will be horrified and sickened by these actions. Idiots is too soft of a word – I hope the police use the full force of the law. We cannot allow our country and our city to descend into anarchy, which seems to be being driven by madness on social media.”
It comes after violence erupted in Southport on Tuesday following a vigil for three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club. Police officers in Southport suffered serious injuries when bricks, stones and bottles were thrown and cars were set alight during violent protests.
The disorder near the town’s mosque came after false rumours were circulated online about the suspect. In an effort to avoid a second night of rioting, Merseyside Police were given extra powers, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, on Wednesday to stop and search people suspected of carrying weapons.
Community Inspector Doug Chadwick said the public was “shocked and disappointed” by the “disgraceful” scenes of rioting and called on the public to come forward with information about what they had seen. Five people have been arrested over the unrest so far, which saw 53 officers and three police dogs injured.
The unrest comes as a 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murders of the three girls. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.
Eight other children suffered knife wounds – with five of them in critical condition – while two adults were also critically hurt. The 17-year-old has been remanded in custody to appear on Thursday, August 1, at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Derby Square.
