Police across Britain are preparing for riots today and tomorrow, and Mosques will increase their security amid rising tensions after the killing of three children in northwestern England on Monday, officials said, cited by Reuters and BTA.
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murdering the girls in a knife attack during a dance lesson set to music by Taylor Swift in the seaside town of Southport. The crime shocked the whole country.
Violent incidents erupted in Southport, the northeastern English city of Hartlepool, the capital London and elsewhere in response to false information that spread quickly on social media. According to them, the suspect in the knife murders is a radical Islamic immigrant, Reuters recalls. In an attempt to counter the misinformation, the police emphasized that the suspect, Axel Rudakubana, was born in Great Britain.
More than a dozen anti-migrant demonstrations are planned across the UK this weekend, including near at least two mosques in Liverpool. Several counter-protests by opponents of racism are also planned.
Mosques across the country will also be on high alert. They will review fire safety procedures, security camera monitoring and the protection of entrances and exits, the Muslim Council of Britain said.
Zara Mohammed, the council's director-general of security, said representatives of hundreds of mosques had agreed to beef up security measures. Many of those attending the briefing also said they were concerned for the safety of their worshipers after receiving threatening and abusive phone calls.
"I think there is a sense in the community that we will not be afraid either, but we will be careful and cautious,", Mohammed said in an interview with Reuters.