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#Violence erupted in several cities across the #UK on Sat amid #AntiImmigrant protests, as crowds of #FarRight activists scuffled w/the police & counterprotesters in the cities of #Liverpool, #Hull & #Nottingham, & other locations.

Tensions have simmered across #Britain in the wake of a stabbing in the town of #Southport on Mon, after #misinformation over the identity of the attacker swirled online.

The knife attack on a dance & yoga class for girls stunned #Britain & ignited days of #AntiImmigrant #riots in multiple cities that were #incited by #FarRight #provocateurs. Increasingly, the demonstrations, which have so far been mostly in English cities, have drawn counter-protests.

PM Keir #Starmer gathered snr ministers on Sat afternoon to discuss the #violence, acc/to a spox for his office.

#Starmer said the police had full support from the govt “to take action against #extremists …who are attacking police officers, disrupting local businesses & attempting to sow #hate by intimidating communities.”
In #Liverpool …,police vehicles were damaged as protesters threw bricks & chanted “stop the boats”—a reference to #asylum seekers who arrive in small boats in the English Channel—& #antifascist groups confronted them.
#disinformation #InternetManipulation #SocialMedia #Moderation #racism

“The behavior we have seen today in #Liverpool city center is completely unacceptable,” Jenny Sims, the asst chief constable for the #Merseyside Police, said. “What should have been a sunny Saturday on the historic waterfront to be enjoyed by people of all ages turned into an afternoon of unashamed #disorder & #violence, which potentially put decent members of the public, including children, at risk.”

2 police officers were taken to the hospital w/injuries, the Merseyside Police, the force responsible for the region, said in a statement on Sat.

At least 6 people had been arrested by Sat evening on suspicion of #violent disorder & #criminal damage, among other violations, & the number of arrests are likely to increase, the police said.

In #Leeds, #FarRight protesters scuffled w/ #antiracist protesters, though the situation remained largely peaceful as evening neared. InHull, 3 police officers were injured & 4 people were arrested amid disorder in the city center, said the Humberside Police, which oversees the area.

In #Nottingham, counterprotesters chanted “Nazis not welcome here,” as a far-right rally erupted in a central square.

In #StokeOnTrent, #FarRight protesters also gathered on the streets on Sat, & the local police reported pockets of #violence. Gareth Snell, a member of Parliament who represents Stoke on Trent, warned in a stmnt that “political #extremists” were gathering in the city.

“They are here not because they are concerned about our city or the people who live here,” he said. “They are here for one thing. To spread #division & sow the seeds of #hate.”

In #Belfast, #Ireland, cars & bldgs were set alight on Sat night after a grp of rioters marched on a #Muslim community ctr. The Police Service of #NorthernIreland said at least one business had been set on fire.

…#Disinformation & #FarRight agitators have fueled the #violence, & police said that supporters of the #EnglishDefenceLeague [#EDL], an #extremist anti-#Islam org, were among a large group that on Tues attacked a mosque, threw bricks & garbage cans at police officers & torched vehicles.

@Nonilex Sigh…and the beat goes on…