Riot police officers push back anti-migration protesters outside on Aug. 4, 2024 in Rotherham, U.K.
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A number of countries have now issued travel and safety warnings to their citizens living or visiting the U.K. as riots and street disorder continue to plague the country.
India is the latest country to issue an advisory for its nationals traveling to the U.K. with the High Commission of India in London warning visitors “to stay vigilant and exercise caution during their travels” in light of recent “disturbances” in parts of the country.
The United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia have also all warned their citizens visiting or living in the U.K. that some areas currently present serious safety risks as unrest, initially sparked by anti-immigration protests, continues to spread throughout England and Northern Ireland.
Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle after disorder broke out on July 30, 2024 in Southport, England. Rumours about the identity of the 17-year-old suspect after deadly stabbing attack in Southport sparked a violent protest with unrest spreading across England and Northern Ireland.
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A number of towns and cities — including the tourist hubs of Liverpool and Manchester — have seen violent disorder on the streets in the last week, with far-right groups clashing with police and rival demonstrators.
Unrest continued in parts of the U.K. on Monday night, with Belfast in Northern Ireland seeing further disorder, as well as the northern town of Darlington and Plymouth on the south coast. Since the rioting began a week ago Tuesday, 378 arrests have been made, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said Monday.
Other instances of disorder have also been seen across the country, from towns including Rotherham and Middlesbrough to larger cities such as Bristol, Leeds and Hull. Tourist hotspot London has not seen any significant disturbances.
Smoke billows from a fire started by protesters as riot police stand guard after disturbances near the Southport Islamic Society Mosque in Southport, northwest England, on July 30, 2024, a day after a deadly child knife attack.
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The UAE’s foreign ministry on Monday urged its citizens in the U.K. “to exercise the highest level of caution, and take the necessary precautions, in light of the unstable security situation in various cities across the U.K.” The ministry also warned UAE nationals against visiting areas witnessing riots and protests, and to avoid crowded areas.
Australia issued a travel advisory Monday warning its citizens to “avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence” while Malaysia has told its nationals not to travel to the U.K.
Nigeria stated that the riots “have assumed a violent and disorderly outlook” and “may spread across the country.” It warned its citizens “to be extra vigilant, stay away from protests areas and avoid large gatherings.”
Asked about the potential detrimental impact on tourism to the U.K. this summer, the British Tourist Authority, operating under the brand names VisitBritain and VisitEngland, told CNBC that it was monitoring the situation closely.
“Demand for travel to Britain remains strong and we continue to welcome many millions of visitors from all over the world. We are working closely with our overseas teams to monitor travel sentiment and to ensure our international travel trade partners have the latest information available, as necessary,” a VisitBritain spokesperson said in emailed comments.
Anti-immigration protesters are seen during riots outside of the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, which was believed to be used as an asylum hotel, on August 4, 2024 in Rotherham, United Kingdom.
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Riots and street violence started last week after false claims spread online that a mass stabbing last Monday, in which three young girls were killed, had been carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who had arrived in the U.K. by boat.
Disturbances and disorder erupted in a number of towns and cities in the aftermath of the attack with large groups seen chanting racist, anti-immigration and anti-Muslim slogans, damaging buildings, looting and clashing with riot police and counter-protesting groups of locals.
A protester holds a placard during a Stand Up To Racism unity rally against anti-immigration supporters. Earlier this week, protests and riots erupted across the country after a knife attack in Southport.
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In the worst instances of violent disorder, shops and mosques have been attacked and bricks and petrol bombs hurled. Fires were started at one hotel in Rotherham that rioters believed housed asylum seekers.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the violence as “far-right thuggery” while the country’s former head of counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu, said Monday that some of the violence seen during the riots has “crossed the line into terrorism.”
The government pledged to increase police numbers and said there would be an immediate crackdown on the rioting, adding that anyone involved would be dealt with immediately by the country’s criminal justice system. More than 500 extra prison places are also being prepared to detain suspected rioters.
Members of the local community help to clear debris from the streets in Middlesbrough, north east England on August 5, 2024, following rioting and looting the day before. UK leader Keir Starmer warned far-right protesters on Sunday they would “regret” participating in England’s worst rioting in 13 years, as disturbances linked to the murder of three children earlier this week flared across the country.
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The disorder has also brought affected communities together, with counter-protests and community clean-ups taking place. Many locals have denounced those involved in the disturbances, saying they don’t represent their communities.
The underlying causes of the violence pose a challenge for the U.K.’s new Labour government with ongoing societal debates over immigration and societal cohesion likely to come to the fore once the disorder subsides.