(DailyEmailNews.com) – Amid rumors and heightened tensions, police in the U.K. arrested hundreds after a shocking stabbing spree sparked violent clashes.
The chaos unfolded when rioters believed fake stories blaming an asylum-seeker for the murders. This set up the stage for fires, mosque attacks and police confrontations.
The rumor was linked to a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party that ended in the deaths of three girls and left others injured.
A 17-year-old of Rwandan descent named Axel Rudakubana was identified by a U.K. judge as the suspect, facing three murder charges and ten counts of attempted murder.
Although U.K. laws protect the identities of minor suspects, the judge made the disclosure in order to quell the misinformation that had fueled the riots.
In response to the escalating violence, which included setting a library on fire and vandalizing a Winston Churchill statue, authorities made numerous arrests and deployed significant police forces.
Additionally, the town of Rotherham saw intense confrontations as rioters tried to storm a hotel housing asylum-seekers, leading to several police injuries.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly denounced the violence, labeling it as the work of far-right extremists.
“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 stated.
“This is not a protest. It is organized, violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets or online,” he added.
Starmer continued:
“People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques, 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.”
With ongoing reviews of extensive footage from the riot scenes, additional arrests are expected.
Community leaders and authorities are urging for peace and a halt to the violence, which has endangered many.
The situation has also stretched police resources thin, potentially affecting their capacity to handle other crimes.
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