Riots in UK sends alarming bells to India

After the killing of three girls in the tranquil seaside resort of Southport, riots in UK triggered a series of acts of violence and disturbances across the United Kingdom against migrants. A Taylor Swift-inspired dance class turned deadly on July 29 when Axel Rudakubana, 17, reportedly launched a vicious knife rampage that ended with the deaths of three little girls. Eight other children were knife-wounded, five of them still in critical condition, and in addition, two adults are critically injured.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

That was further compounded by a deluge of lies on social media suggesting Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat. Such claims gave way to a wave of anti-immigration and Islamophobic rhetoric, leading to outbreaks of violent riots in UK orchestrated by far-right groups across the country.

Riots in UK and Unrest

Within 36 hours of the stabbings, hundreds of rioters targeted a mosque in Southport near the scene of the attack. More than 50 police officers were injured in the clashes. This violence spread to major cities including London, Manchester, Hartlepool and Aldershot.

The riots in UK continued during the weekend in places like Liverpool, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Leeds, Nottingham and Bristol. Belfast in Northern Ireland was also one of the other severe disruptions. On Sunday, raiders tried to set fire to a hotel where asylum seekers were living in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and hurled missiles at police. The same thing happened in Tamworth, Staffordshire, in which a hotel believed to contain asylum seekers was targeted. In Middlesbrough, raiders have vandalized homes and cars and thrown missiles at police.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said thousands have been involved in the disorder and counter-protests which led to 378 arrests over the past seven days. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said officers will work through the footage to identify those responsible for the violence which included missile throwing, arson, looting, and attacks on motorists and passers-by.

Several suspects have already appeared in court charged with offences from violent disorder and affray to assault and burglary. One judge described the violence in Belfast as “absolutely disgraceful” while refusing bail to two men charged with taking part in disorder.

Moreover, a series of posts from public figures further worsened the case by spreading miscommunication and inciting people unnecessarily. Influencer Andrew Tate spread false information that it was an “illegal migrant” who committed the attack and urged people to “wake up.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in concern over comments made by Elon Musk, the owner of the site X, in which he said, “civil war is inevitable,” warned of obviously serious action against people inciting violence through their posts on social media.

Experts somewhat attribute the spread of misinformation to the decision that Musk made regarding the reinstatement of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who had posted footage of the Rotherham hotel attack with the statement: “When British people are ignored and labelled ‘far-right’ … something has to happen.”

Government Action and International Relations

On Thursday night, with reports of more widespread lawlessness and violence in North England, Prime Minister Starmer called an emergency meeting with police chiefs and ministers. He said rioters would face swift justice, and he was joined by Home Secretary Cooper, who announced urgent measures to protect mosques and provide confidence that the courts would be ready to deliver it quickly.

In view of the daily riots in UK taking place, several countries such as Nigeria, Malaysia, and Indonesia have issued safety warnings to their citizens living in Great Britain.

Impact on India

The riot in UK has sent shockwaves across the world, of which India could not remain insulated. An advisory was issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs asking Indian nationals in the UK to be cautious and to keep away from cities where protests were reported. The advisory especially alerts students and professionals living in major cities like London and Manchester, where the unrest is at an extreme level, to be more vigilant and shun any non-essential travel.

The large Indian diaspora located in the UK believes safety to be of paramount concern and leaders within the community are pressing for added vigilance over businesses and religious premises owned by Indians, which they fear could be targeted by miscreants in these troubled times. The Indian High Commission in London is closely watching the situation on the ground and issued a helpline number for Indians in distress.

The unrest has another con that it diminishes the closeness of the relationship between the UK and India at this juncture when negotiations are on for doing active trade between both of them. The UK is a prominent trading partner of India, having increased by almost a quarter for two consecutive years. Prolonged instability could prove detrimental to business functioning and bilateral trade agreements. Indian companies making huge investments in the country are also treading secretly at risk analysis for their operations.

The country’s educational exchanges could also suffer. The UK happens to be a favoured destination for Indian students, and with the current turbulence, there may be a drastic fall in new admissions since safety will be the prime concern. Universities and institutions are being implored to ensure campus and accommodation safety.

Get all World Affhttps://everflipnews.com/category/world/airs updates here