The meeting comes after a 17-year-old was charged with the murder of 3 girls and attempted murder of 10 others at a children’s dance class earlier this week.
LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called police chiefs to No. 10 Downing Street for an urgent meeting on Thursday afternoon after skirmishes between far-right protesters and officers spread to Westminster.
More than 100 demonstrators were arrested after violent clashes around parliament, as protesters descended on the capital in the wake of a deadly stabbing that killed three young girls at a dance class in Southport on Monday.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, has been charged with the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9.
The clashes have in part been fueled by online disinformation falsely claiming the accused was an asylum seeker who had just arrived in the U.K.
The police initially did not name the suspect in line with usual police practice for those aged under 18.
Restrictions on identifying the Cardiff-born teenager were lifted in court Thursday.
Rudakubana has been charged with three counts of murder, ten of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He will appear in court again in October.
Violence hits Downing Street
On Wednesday night, flares were hurled at the gates of Downing Street — the residence and office of the British prime minister — as well as at a statue of former PM Winston Churchill. Beer cans and glass bottles rained down on police in riot gear, leaving some with minor injuries.
There were chants of “Oh Tommy, Tommy” — a reference to Tommy Robinson, the founder of the extreme nationalist English Defence League (EDL) group, who promoted the demonstration. Shouts of “we want our country back” and “stop the boats” also rang out.
Starmer, in his meeting with the senior policing leaders Thursday afternoon, said he wanted to show that his government has the backs of the police, adding: “This is not protest, this is violent disorder and action will be taken.”
“So, this government will make sure you have got the powers you need and will back you in using those powers,” he added, according to extracts released by his office.
The row has also dragged in Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.
Former police counterterrorism chief Neil Basu accused the newly elected MP Farage of “giving the EDL succor, undermining the police, creating conspiracy theories, and giving a false basis for the attacks on the police,” according to the Guardian.
Farage openly questioned what he suggested was a lack of transparency from the police over the identity of the accused, but his critics have accused him of fanning the flames.
Violence also broke out on Wednesday night in the town of Hartlepool, where police officers were injured after they were pelted with bottles and eggs, and a police car was torched.
New Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said the clashes were “deeply concerning,” adding: “Violence is never the answer.” Eight arrests have been made, with more expected to follow. Officers will be investigating whether the disorder was linked to the EDL.
Meanwhile, Southport remained under a Section 60 order giving police enhanced powers to stop and search suspects, amid fears of further violence.
This developing story is being updated.
