UK police geared up Friday for possible
further far-right protests this weekend
following several violent skirmishes in the
wake of a mass stabbing that killed three
young girls.
Security was being strengthened at
hundreds of mosques across the country
amid fears that the places of worship may
be targeted by anti-Islamic demonstrators,
Muslim leaders said.
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Disorder blamed on extreme-right
agitators broke out in several English
cities this week after Monday's knife
attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance
party in Southport, in the northwest.
The disturbances were fuelled by
misinformation online about 17-year-old
suspect Axel Rudakubana who has been
charged with murder and attempted
murder over the stabbing rampage that
has shocked Britain.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused
"thugs" of "hijacking" the nation's grief to
"sow hatred" and pledged that anyone
carrying out violent acts will "face the full
force of the law".
Several demonstrations are planned for
the coming days, with some protests
advertised online with the banner "enough
is enough" and calling for participants to
bring England flags.
Merseyside Police, responsible for
Southport, said it was aware of potential
future protests there and that "extensive
plans and considerable police resources"
were in place to deal with them.South Yorkshire police said it knew of a
planned protest in the town of Rotherham
this weekend and that people may see "an
increased police presence" across the
whole county.
Officers in south Wales said a policing
operation would be in place for "planned
events being held in Cardiff" on Saturday.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland
said it was aware of social media posts
calling for roadblocks "using women and
children" as part of a planned protest, as
well as a march to an Islamic centre in
Belfast on Saturday.
Suspected members of Islamophobic
organisations threw bricks at a mosque in
Southport on Tuesday night as they
clashed with police.
Protests then rocked central London, and
the northern cities of Hartlepool and
Manchester late Wednesday. Police
arrested more than 100 people outside
Downing Street.
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Zara Mohammed, secretary-general of the
Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), told PA
Media that mosques were bracing for the
weekend by hiring paid security staff and
checking CCTV cameras were working.
"There is really deep-seated anxiety
amongst Muslim communities, particularly
for this weekend," he said.
Rudakubana is accused of killing Bebe
King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine. He has also
been charged with 10 counts of attempted
murder.