Far‑right riot erupts at Downing Street following attack in Southport
Riots and clashes with the police occurred at the gate leading to Downing Street, where the residence of the British Prime Minister is located. The protest was organized in connection with Monday's knife attack in Southport.
7:24 AM EDT, August 1, 2024
The protest by far-right supporters under the slogan "Enough is Enough!" was legally organized, but the police, while granting permission, set a number of conditions, including strictly limiting the area on Whitehall Government Avenue where the protest was supposed to take place.
The protest participants chanted, among other things, the name of Tommy Robinson, leader of the far-right organization English Defence League (EDL), as well as slogans like "Protect Our Children" and "Stop the Boats."
Shortly after the demonstration began, its participants moved beyond the designated area, heading towards the gate at Downing Street. Some threw flares through the gate, leading to police intervention. So far, 12 people have been arrested, but since the protest is not yet over, this number will undoubtedly increase.
The protest was convened in connection with Monday's events in Southport in northwestern England, where a 17-year-old – born in the UK but of Rwandan descent – stormed into a yoga and dance class for children, killing three girls aged six, seven, and nine years old, and injuring 10 other people, primarily children.
Due to rumors, which turned out to be false, that the perpetrator was a Muslim, riots occurred outside a mosque in Stockport, also involving EDL supporters. About 50 police officers were injured in the clashes.
