Cobra Meeting Held; British Prime Minister Condemns 'Far-Right Thuggery' in the Country

Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the UK, condemned 'far-right thuggery' following days of protests, chaos, and violence in the country, and it was announced that an 'emergency Cobra meeting' would be held on Monday, August 7, in response to this violence. Violent protests erupted across various cities and regions in the UK against foreigners and immigrants after three girls were killed in a knife attack during a children's dance class in Southport in northwest England last week. Protests spread to various cities including Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester on Saturday, resulting in dozens of arrests and the destruction and looting of several shops and businesses. Anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups in the UK immediately attributed these killings to an extremist Islamist immigrant, despite the fact that the suspect in the attack was born in Britain, and police have stated that they do not consider the attack a terrorist incident. At least 90 far-right supporters have been arrested following the chaos and violence in Britain. In response to the violence, the Prime Minister stated, 'I strongly condemn far-right thuggery' and added that this is criminal violence, not legitimate protest. Mr. Starmer emphasized, 'Rest assured that those involved in this violence will face the full force of the law.' The Prime Minister's office is set to hold a special Cobra meeting on Monday morning to discuss reports from cabinet ministers, police, intelligence and security agencies, and other responsible individuals regarding the violence. The police in Britain have reported that 250 individuals have been arrested so far due to their involvement in the violence. On Sunday, hundreds of anti-immigration protesters attacked a hotel in Rotherham, northern England, which, according to the UK Home Secretary, is a shelter for refugees, shouting at them, 'Get out.' One witness told Reuters that the protesters, many of whom were masked or wearing hats, threw bricks at police officers, broke the windows of several hotels, and then set a large trash bin on fire near the hotel. The police estimated the number of protesters at 700 and reported that 10 of their officers were injured during the clashes, with one officer losing consciousness and another suffering a broken arm. Leaders of the Muslim community in Britain have stated that they 'do not feel safe,' and the Home Office announced that security measures around mosques would be increased following a rise in threats. The last time Britain witnessed violent protests was in 2011 when thousands took to the streets after police shot a Black man in London. Keir Starmer was the Attorney General at that time.