Far-right, anti-immigration demonstrations stoked by conspiracy theories and AI-generated images spread on social media spilled over into violence in cities across the nation.

The United Kingdom woke up Sunday morning to city streets covered in debris and smoldering rubbish as a weekend of far-right, anti-immigration demonstrations — stoked by conspiracy theories spread on social media — erupted into violence in seven cities across the nation.

Police arrested at least 100 people, and riot police wearing helmets and holding shields came out in force as Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to take action against “extremists.”

On Saturday, groups in Leeds waving St. George’s Cross flags, England’s national flag regularly flown by far-right groups, shouted “Muslims off our streets,” pairing it with a slur suggesting they were criminal child abusers. In the city of Hull, rioters threw bottles and smashed a window at a hotel housing asylum-seekers as demonstrators clashed with police.

What started as targeted anti-immigration demonstrations quickly descended into directionless disorder. A library in Liverpool, reopened in 2023 as an “education to employment” service for people of all abilities, was set ablaze.

  • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.oneEnglish
    30·
    5 months ago

    Big shout out to the Punk Festival that organized a counter protest on the fly and helped clean up the shit heads. Truly fucking punk.

    Protestors clash with police as Pro-Britain rally moves outside Rebellion Punk Festival

    Later in the video, the crowds are seen up at St John’s Square, as the rally - which was partly about anti-immigration - moved outside the Winter Gardens, where Rebellion Punk Festival was taking place. Festival-goers can be seen amidst the protestors, some who were counter-protesting with anti-fascist banners while some helped to clean up the mess - including broken glass from bottles that were thrown.