Eight people have been arrested in Sunderland after a night of rioting and disorder in parts of the UK. Three police officers were injured, with reports of a building set on fire, an overturned car set alight, and protesters hitting officers with beer cans and stones. Some wore balaclavas and draped in the England flag. The protests were attributed to far-right activists on social media and sparked by misinformation about a knife attack in Southport. Government officials condemned the violence, with extra prosecutors deployed around the country to respond to any further disorder.
The Home Secretary emphasized that those committing acts of violence will face the full force of the law. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness condemned the violence in Sunderland as criminal thuggery and not representative of the city. Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson expressed support for the police in responding to the unrest and called for unity in building a safe future for all communities in the city.
In Liverpool, anti-fascist groups outnumbered far-right protesters, leading to minor scuffles that were quickly stopped by police. Hope Not Hate reported plans for up to 35 protests across the UK this weekend under anti-multiculturalism, anti-Muslim, and anti-government agendas. Leaders called for unity to challenge hatred and rising Islamophobia in society. Various cities, including Blackpool, Cardiff, Leeds, and Manchester were listed among those where protests were planned.
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