Almost 30 protests – many of them organised by far-right activists – are set to take place this weekend in the wake of the Southport stabbings, according to Sky News analysis.
They would follow violent protests earlier this week, which saw more than 100 people arrested outside Downing Street on Wednesday and eight arrests in Sunderland on Friday night after a police station was set on fire and objects thrown at officers.
Sky News has seen posts on social media promoting more events in cities across the UK over the coming days, including one targeting a mosque, while counterprotests are also being planned in response to far-right demonstrations.
It has identified a total of 24 protests taking place today – 23 organised by far-right activists and one dubbed an “anti-racist” counterprotest.
Another four far-right-organised protests and an event labelled as a “peaceful vigil” are planned for tomorrow.
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Sunderland police station on fire amid riots
Advocacy group Hope Not Hate, which believes there could be up to 35 protests, says many of the events are “under a broad anti-multiculturalism, anti-Muslim and anti-government agenda” and have no single organiser.
They follow a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at a community centre in Southport on Monday, which left three girls dead. The attack was followed by a wave of online misinformation about the attacker’s background.
British police chiefs have agreed to deploy officers in large numbers over the weekend to deter violence and there will be extra prosecutors on standby to charge people who set out to cause violent disorder, according to Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
“We will have surge capacity in our intelligence, in our briefing, and in the resources that are out in local communities,” Mr Stephens told BBC Radio, adding having additional prosecutors available will ensure “we see swift justice”.
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Police braced for further protests
It follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement on Thursday that there would be a new “national” response to the disorder, by better linking police forces across the country.
Mosques across the country are also on a heightened state of alert, the Muslim Council of Britain said.
What happened in Sunderland and who was responsible?
There was a stand-off between police and protesters outside a mosque on Friday night, where objects were thrown at officers and a local station was set on fire.
Eight people were arrested for a range of offences – including violent disorder and burglary – and three police officers were taken to hospital after being injured, with two needing further treatment.
Police had projectiles thrown at them as they attempted to contain the group of several hundred protesters in the city’s Keel Square.
People protest in Sunderland city centre. Pic: PA
Car overturned and on fire during Sunderland riots. Pic: PA
Lewis Atkinson, MP for Sunderland Central, said a link could be drawn between the disorder and the English Defence League (EDL), which was founded by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Some of the protesters were draped in England flags and chants in support of Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, could be heard.
The Labour MP said protests started being suggested by people in a number of social media groups in the wake of the Southport stabbings.
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“The far right, for example, Stephen Yaxley Lennon, picked up on those and started promoting those and encouraging known far-right individuals to join,” Mr Atkinson told BBC Radio 4.
Asked whether a link could be drawn with the EDL, he said: “I can draw a link because last night one of the flags on the street bore the reference to the North East Infidels, which is a Nazi, EDL offshoot from the northeast chapter of what was the EDL.”
Individuals who were involved with the EDL are “still out there” and need to be monitored by police, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper would look at whether the EDL should be banned, despite former leader Tommy Robinson’s insistence that the group no longer exists.
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick accused the “far-right” of organising of riots across the country and said “if there is a case” for proscribing the EDL it should be “considered”.