Who is involved in the violent riots?

When the riots in south port At first there was talk of right-wing extremists who had come specifically for the event. Patricio Hurley, the Labour-MP for south port, he said bbc: “They weren't Southport people, they were trained thugs.“Last entry Sunderland were “but also many masked young people and even families with small children“There, he says ARD-Correspondent Franziska Hoppen.

According to the anti-racism organization “I hope I don't hate“The protests are now”broader and more diffuse“On the one hand, there are protests against migration and Muslims, but on the other hand, the demonstrators express a general discontent.

Why do riots occur?

The trigger was a knife attack on children in the north of England south port last week. in a Taylor SwiftAt a dance class, a holiday course for children and young people, a man killed three girls aged six, seven and nine. Other children and two adults were injured, some of them life-threatening.

Since then, speculation has been rife on social media about the identity of the perpetrator. It was falsely claimed that he was a Muslim asylum seeker. Right-wing extremists are using this as an opportunity to protest against migration.

Are there also riots from other places?

Videos are circulating online purporting to show that there are also violent Muslim groups on the streets of Britain. WDR's fact-checking team has reviewed several of these videos.

Most of them show relatively recent scenes from British cities. It is therefore highly likely that there are currently riots by people suspected of being Muslims in England. According to ARD correspondents in London, these are isolated violent protests and riots.

However, there is also a clip calling for Sharia law to be introduced in the UK. The video has already been viewed several million times on Platform X in the past few days. However, our verification team found that it dates back to 2014.

What is really known about the Southport knife attacker?

Police said in a statement that the 17-year-old suspect was born in Britain. The reports that he is an asylum seeker are therefore false. His parents are from Rwanda. The motive of the perpetrator is still unclear. However, ultra-nationalists do not believe this; they accuse the authorities of lying to the public about the identity of the attacker.

Who is fueling anti-Muslim protests?

Several right-wing and nationalist groups are calling for protests. Sunderland near a mosque, for example Stephen Yaxley Lennon mobilized, better known by the name Tommy Robinsonthe founder of the radical right-wing group English Defence League (EDL).

Robinson is said to be based abroad. He has a wide reach in the far-right online community. Community. He is followed by more than 900,000 people on Platform X AccountsIt is estimated that this 41-year-old man can persuade thousands of people to take to the streets through agitation and false information. Robinson He is considered Britain's best-known right-wing extremist.

Also the right-wing populist MP Nigel Farage from the party reform United Kingdom It was speculated in a video uploaded toHide the truth from us“.

How is the British government reacting?

Politicians want to take more targeted measures against people who fuel online protests. Interior Minister Yvette Cooper He told the news station News from heavenThe organisation of riots, the exacerbation of tensions and the spread of misinformation were greatly encouraged with the help of social media.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer I speak of “marauding mobs“Emergency services would be given full support in acting against extremists who attacked police officers and tried to incite hatred. The situation is seen as the first major test for the new Prime Minister, who has been in office for a month.

Are there legal consequences?

Of the more than 400 rioters arrested, about 120 have already been charged. a plate in Liverpool sentenced three men to prison terms ranging from 20 months to three years.