News report compiled by Gene Alcantara
Filipinos and other migrants are being warned to take care over the far right protests and riots that have been targeting immigrants and asylum seekers in the northern part of England, even in Northern Ireland, for the last week or so.
The riots appear to have started at the end of July 2024 following the deaths of three girls who were fatally stabbed in Southport. Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7) and Alice Dasilva Aguiar (9) were all at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport on Monday 29 July. Suddenly apparently a Rwandan race teenager came in and attacked them, with many other girls and adults injured.
Unfortunately fake news quickly spread that the perpetrator was a Muslim man who was fresh off a boat, meaning an asylum seeker. It later turned out once police identified him, that the killer was a 17 year old teenager Axel Rudakubana, 17, apparently of Rwandan parentage who was born in Cardiff, but later moved to Lancashire, England.
By 30 July, the police were attacked and a mosque damaged in violent protests in the town of Southport. By 31 July, the disorder has spread to Manchester, Hartlepool, Aldershot and London with violence outside Downing Street. By 2 August, cars and buildings were set on fire in Sunderland, with scuffles outside a mosque in Liverpool.
By 3 and 4 August, more cities saw violent unrest with arrests being made by police, and a hotel housing asylum seekers was attacked in Rotherham. By 5 August, petrol bombs had been thrown in Belfast, the police were attacked in Plymouth and a pub was damaged in Birmingham.
Although the Southport stabbings appear to have sparked the disorders, John Hayes, the man who was stabbed in the leg while trying to defend other girls, was quoted by the BBC as saying there had been “strong undertones of discontent for some time about the levels of immigration”.
The previous Tory government had tried to deal with the immigration issue by developing the Rwanda scheme whereby asylum seekers would be sent there for processing. However the incoming Labour government promptly cancelled the arrangements, but had not been able to put anything in place to resolve the matter.
The police had arrested around 428 people, and many have already been sent to courts to stop the riots and around 120 have been charged. In Liverpool Crown Court, prosecutor Chris Taylor was quoted as saying that the violent protest for which an accused called Derek Drummond (58) was arrested, had an estimated 1,000 people outside Southport’s mosque on 31 July. “There were chants of ‘this is our {***} country’”. Drummond apparently pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, while someone called Declan Geiran (29) admitted arson by attacking a police vehicle. At Plymouth Magistrates Court, six people have been charged with violent disorder following protests on 5 August.
The latest threat to migrants is the worrying news spread online on Telegram that 39 premises of organisations involved with Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers are the target of protests across England. Housing Communities and Local Government Minister Jim McMahon is quoted as saying, “We are concerned about the information that is being shared online”, but did not know if it would happen or whether it was just intended “to cause alarm and distress, or even to provoke”. Reiterating the words of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he said those involved in the disruption can expect to “face the full force of the law” and “that rioters will be dealt with swiftly with some people sentenced by the end of the week.”
Meanwhile London Mayor Sadiq Khan was also quoted as warning, “If you break the law, action will be taken against you.” He was aware of reports of a far-right group planning to target locations where immigration advisers, solicitors, and charities operate. He also acknowledged that Muslim and minority ethnic communities are feeling “scared and fearful”.
The Mirror has reported that the far-right have targeted 100 areas across 41 police forces in the country. The police and fire brigades have been preparing their plans to tackle the disturbance.
Filipinos attacked in Sunderland
The Filipino communities across the United Kingdom are also feeling scared and fearful after Sunderland rioters threw rocks at Filipino NHS nurses who were on their way to work on Sunday 4 August as emergency cover due to the violence that broke out. Please see link below for full story –
Jeremy Armstrong, Mirror news reporter, reported that Filipino nurses on their way to work at a hospital were caught in the Sunderland riot. They were apparently in two taxis and were “terrified” by the attack on their taxis, knowing that violent rioters had burn police properties. They apparently managed to get through but, although they continued to do their duties as NHS workers, the nurses were worried about what might happen.
Philippine Embassy London advisory
The Philippine Embassy in London, under Ambassador Teddy Boy Locsin, has issued an important dual language advisory to the Filipino community, which reads:
“Filipinos in the United Kingdom are urged to remain vigilant, exercise due caution, follow the latest updates and guidance issued by UK authorities, and avoid areas of mass gathering where there may be disruption or violence.”
“Ang mga Pilipino sa UK ay hinihimok na manatiling mapagmasid, mag-ingat, antabayanan ang mga pinakahuling balita at gabay na galing sa mga kinauukulan sa UK, at iwasan ang mga lugar na may mga pagtitipon kung saan maaaring magroon ng kaguluhan o karahasan.”
In response to the Advisory some people have responded:
"This is so sad. Many [of] my good friends are Filipino and are keeping our NHS and
service industries going. I just want to put my arms around them and give them a great
big hug."
"Filipinos in the UK, hindi lang London due to the Nationwide EDL protests against Muslims, refugees and Immigrants
They are planning on marching to many Refugee Immigration centres [today].
Be vigilant = Let's all look out for other."
"Keep safe every one..kung di naman importante ang pupuntahan wag na munang lumabas."
(Sources: BBC News, Mirror newspaper, Philippine Embassy London Facebook page)
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