UK riots spurred by misinformation lead to worst civil unrest in decade

[JACK AYLMER]

THE U.K. IS FACING ITS WORST CIVIL UNREST IN MORE THAN A DECADE.

FAR-RIGHT ANTI-IMMIGRANT RIOTS SPREAD ACROSS SEVERAL CITIES, WITH CLASHES LEADING TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARRESTED AND MULTIPLE POLICE OFFICERS INJURED SUNDAY NIGHT.

CROWDS SET FIRE TO HOTELS HOUSING ASYLUM SEEKERS, SMASHED VEHICLES AND THREW OBJECTS AT POLICE.

WHILE ANTI-FASCIST PROTESTERS STAGED COUNTER DEMONSTRATIONS.

PROTESTS FIRST BROKE OUT LAST WEEK AFTER A STABBING ATTACK LEFT THREE CHILDREN DEAD AND SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED NEAR LIVERPOOL.

A MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN STOKED OUTRAGE WITH REPORTS SAYING THE 17-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT IS A MUSLIM IMMIGRANT.

THE TEEN, WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BRITAIN, IS CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF MURDER AND 10 COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. HIS FAMILY REPORTEDLY CAME FROM RWANDA.THE MOTIVE FOR THE ATTACK IS STILL UNCLEAR.

U.K. AUTHORITIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED MEASURES TO PROTECT MOSQUES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP FOLLOWING TARGETED ATTACKS.

PRIME MINISTER KEIR STEIMER CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING TO ADDRESS THE ESCALATING SITUATION MONDAY.

STEIMER CONDEMNED THE ATTACKS BY FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS, CALLING THE RIOTS “FAR-RIGHT THUGGERY.”

THE MASS ARRESTS HAVE LED TO ANOTHER PROBLEM– MORE STRAIN ON A U.K. LEGAL SYSTEM ALREADY FACING PRISON OVERCROWDING AND A BACKLOG OF CASES FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC AND BUDGET CUTS. .

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES REMAINED BACKLOGGED IN THE COURTS. NOW, SOME CASES RELATED TO THE RECENT UNREST WON’T BE HEARD UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

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