LONDON — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly condemned an attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers, denouncing it as “far-right thuggery” amid a surge of violence in several towns and cities following a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left three girls dead and many others wounded.
In a statement from 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon, Starmer vowed that authorities would “do whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice.”
“I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves,” he said. “This is not a protest; it is organized, violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets or online.”
Starmer’s comments came after another day of far-right violence, especially severe in Rotherham, where police struggled to control a mob attempting to break into a Holiday Inn Express hotel used to house asylum seekers. Police faced a barrage of missiles, including wood, chairs, and fire extinguishers. A small fire was set in a wheelie bin, and hotel windows were smashed.
“Right now, there are attacks happening on a hotel in Rotherham,” Starmer said. “Marauding gangs intent on law-breaking, or worse. Windows smashed. Fires set ablaze. Residents and staff in absolute fear. There is no justification—none—for taking this action.”
Far-right agitators have exploited last week’s stabbing attack, tapping into concerns about immigration, particularly the tens of thousands of migrants arriving in small boats from France across the English Channel. Tensions were high in Middlesbrough, where some protesters broke free of police, smashing windows of houses and cars. Hundreds clashed with police at the town’s cenotaph, throwing bricks, cans, and pots at officers.
On Saturday, far-right activists clashed with anti-racism protesters across the UK, with violent scenes in Belfast, Liverpool, and Bristol. Police have warned that the widespread security measures required may impact the investigation of other crimes.
The violence followed false rumors online that the suspect in the dance class stabbing was a Muslim and an immigrant. Judge Andrew Menary named Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales to Rwandan parents, as the suspect, to dispel misinformation. Rudakubana faces charges of three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder.
Many of the weekend’s actions were organized online by far-right groups, mobilizing support with phrases like “enough is enough,” “save our kids,” and “stop the boats.”
“To those who feel targeted because of the color of your skin or your faith, I know how frightening this must be,” Starmer said. “Other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won’t shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery.”
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, a prominent far-right agitator and former leader of the English Defense League, has been a key player in amplifying the violence. Yaxley-Lennon, banned from Twitter in 2018 but allowed back after it was rebranded as X by Elon Musk, has more than 800,000 followers.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and elected to parliament in July, has also been criticized for indirectly encouraging anti-immigration sentiment. While condemning the violence, Farage has blamed the government for attributing it to “a few far-right thugs,” stating, “the far right is a reaction to fear … shared by tens of millions of people.”
Source: AP