The 2024 anti-immigration riots lasted 6 days. This was the largest episode of violent protests in the UK since 2011.
At the time, 70% of the British public said they were dissatisfied with the government’s immigration policy.
On 29 July 2024, a 17-year-old British teen, son of Christian Rwandan immigrants, attacked a children’s dance class, killing 3 girls (aged 6-10) with a kitchen knife.
- He injured 8 more children and 2 adults, most of them critically.
The attacker, Axel Rudukubana, was referred to counter-terrorism police for violent behaviour 3 times, but had no connections to Islam.
Incorrect claims spread online that the attacker was an illegal immigrant, an asylum seeker, and that his name was “Ali Al-Shakhati”.
This connected the incident with the public opposition to immigration.
The next day, protesters gathered outside the Southport mosque, attacking the building and police officers who defended it.
- A police van was set on fire, 27 officers were hospitalised.
Over the next 6 days, violent protests took place in many cities and towns across the UK.
361 police officers were injured.
1,840 people were eventually arrested and 1,103 were charged with crimes, most commonly — violent disorder.
The average prison sentence given was 2 years.
In most cases, those sentenced either attacked police officers or were calling for violence against asylum seekers or others.
Some cases have been discussed as controversial:
- Lucy Connolly, wife of a Conservative politician, posted on X saying: “set fire to the … hotels full of the [asylum seekers]. … take the … government and … politicians with them”. She was sentenced to 31 months in prison and released after 12 months.
- Peter Lynch, 61, was sentenced for 32 months for verbal abuse of police officers. He committed suicide in prison 2 months into the term.
However, anger was also directed at the less harsh sentences given to illegal immigrants committing sexual offences or other crimes.
For example, an Ethiopian asylum seeker living in a hotel in Epping was given a 12-month sentence for touching and trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl, a week after arriving on a small boat from France.
