Far-right riots continue to sweep the UK following fatal stabbings at a children's dance class
Drik/ Getty Images
- More than 140 people have been arrested in the UK since Saturday night following widespread riots.
- Protests erupted after the fatal stabbings of three young girls in northwest England earlier this week.
- Police say "disinformation" is driving much of the violence.
More than 140 people have been arrested in the UK since Saturday night as rioting and violence swept the nation.
Police officers battled demonstrators as they set cars on fire, hurled bottles, yelled anti-immigration chants, and clashed with anti-racism protesters.
On Sunday, rioters also attacked a hotel in South Yorkshire that has been used to house asylum seekers, the BBC reported.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The protests erupted in the wake of the fatal stabbings of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England, on Monday.
The demonstrations have been organized and fuelled by far-right-wing groups, who have used social media to spread anti-immigrant misinformation.
It comes after false claims spread about the identity of the suspect in the Southport killings, Axel Rudakubana.
Baseless rumors swirled online that Rudakubana was Muslim, leading to attacks on a number of mosques.
Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Rwandan parents. The family was heavily involved with their local church, the Mirror reported, citing an unnamed source.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned this weekend's attacks as "far-right thuggery."
"Be in no doubt: those who have participated in this violence will face the full force of the law," he added.
Cities such as London, Manchester, Belfast, and Bristol have been affected by the disorder.