TRANSCRIPT
Protesters threw objects at police officers in the English town of Rotherham in South Yorkshire on Sunday as they attempted to break into a hotel being used to house asylum seekers.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the protest, describing it as “far-right thuggery", as more violence broke out in several towns and cities across the country in the wake of a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left three girls dead and many more wounded.
Mr Starmer says those responsible for and those who took part in the riots will be brought to justice.
"I utterly condemn the far right thuggery we've seen this weekend. Be in no doubt those that have participated in this violence will face the full force of the law. The police will be making arrests. Individuals will be held on remand, charges will follow, and convictions will follow. I guarantee, you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves. This is not protest. It is organised, violent thuggery and it has no place on our streets or online."
The Prime Minister says the nationwide protests and riots have been targeting minorities.
“People in this country have a right to be safe. And yet, we've seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques, other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric. So no. I won't shy away from calling it what it is. Far-right thuggery.”
Mr Starmer says that is not acceptable.
“If you target people because of the colour of their skin or their faith. Then that is far right and I'm prepared to say so. But it doesn't matter what apparent motivation there is. This is violence. It is not protest. It doesn't matter what the motivation is. The motivation for the vast majority of people in this country is to see their street safe. And that's what I'm determined that we will deliver.”
Mr Starmer was speaking after another day of far-right violence
During the incident in Rotherham, where rioters were trying to break into a Holiday Inn Express hotel, police officers with shields faced a barrage of missiles, including bits of wood, chairs and fire extinguishers.
In Bristol on Saturday, police - some on horseback - clashed with the far-right protestors:
And in the east coast city of Hull, a clean-up was underway following rioting there that left the city in tatters.
Resident Josh Hamlet says he's disgusted by the riots, and came to cleanup to make a change for the positive.
"Embarrassed...before this morning, disgusted and wanted to take some action. Really? I suppose. Yeah, it's just that, wanted to do something. As you can see, I've got a little boy. It's the world I want him to grow up in. So yeah, just come out, make a positive change, show people that this Hull, not the crap you saw last night."
Lucia Thomson is another Hull resident cleaning up.
"This is my community, and it's the right thing to do. And it's a good example to our children that crime and violence is not a good way of getting a message across, but working together as a team. And, yeah, cleaning up our streets. It's really important to me."
Liverpool also saw riots break out on Saturday.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram says the riot was less about what happened in Southport, where the three children were stabbed to death, but more about local youths looking for trouble.
"I'd say there's a differential between what happened on Tuesday in Southport and what happened here. Definitely on Tuesday there were people bussed in from all over the country because we know that because we've seen the travel patterns. This was more about local youths being stirred up by social media, by that communication of everybody, 'Let's get together' and all that, thinking it was a bit of fun and purposely tried to stir up some sort of criminality in this area."
