Rumors and disinformation have fueled violence across the country.
Riots and violence have broken out in the UK after three young girls were killed in the quiet seaside town of Southport in northern England. Last week, while practicing dance moves to their favorite Taylor Swift songs, a 17-year-old boy entered their classroom and stabbed the girls, killing three and seriously injuring several others.
After the attack, a UK law that prevents naming suspects under 18 created an information gap, leading to rumors spreading in far-right media. Despite the police in Merseyside, the area including Southport, confirming that the suspect was born in the UK, false information on social media claimed he was an immigrant.
Nigel Farage, a British broadcaster and leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, added to the confusion by questioning the official information from the police. He said, “I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don’t know the answer to that, but I think it is a fair and legitimate question.”
Three days after the attack, a judge allowed the suspect’s name to be released, but by then, the damage was done. While Southport was still grieving, far-right protesters took to the streets, attacking a local mosque and injuring over 50 police officers. The riot, which occurred the day after the stabbing, was the first of many violent protests that spread across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including Belfast.
On Sunday, around 750 people surrounded a hotel in northern England housing asylum seekers. The rioters broke windows and tried to enter the hotel, even setting a large trash bin on fire. Robyn Vinter, a correspondent for The Guardian, has been covering these protests and shared her experiences in an interview on the show “Today, Explained.”
