Far-right activists and anti-racism groups clashed in cities across the U.K. on Saturday as tensions remained high following a stabbing rampage at a dance class earlier in the week, which resulted in the deaths of three girls and left several others wounded.

With dozens of protests scheduled across the country, police have launched a significant security operation, deploying thousands more officers onto the streets, many in riot gear. Authorities have also made additional prison cells available, employing surveillance and facial recognition technology.

On Saturday, despite the heavy police presence, there were some isolated incidents of violence. Bricks were thrown at officers in Stoke-on-Trent in central England, while the windows of a hotel housing migrants were smashed in the northeast city of Hull. Additionally, in Liverpool, a police officer on a motorbike was kicked and knocked off his vehicle.

Scuffles have also been reported in Belfast, Manchester, and Nottingham. In London, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched to protest against Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

These latest standoffs follow a day of unrest in Sunderland, northeast England, where protesters threw beer barrels and rocks at police officers. A car and a building next to a police station were set ablaze.

The violence in Sunderland, which led to ten arrests, is the latest in a series of incidents over the past few days, apparently sparked by Monday’s stabbing attack in the northwest seaside town of Southport. A 17-year-old male has been arrested in connection with the attack.

False rumours circulating online about the young man’s identity, claiming he was a Muslim and an immigrant, have worsened anger among far-right supporters. Although suspects under 18 are generally not named in the U.K., Judge Andrew Menary has ordered the identification of Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales to Rwandan parents, partly to curb the spread of misinformation.

In a press briefing on Saturday following the clear-up, Northumbria Police Chief Superintendent Mark Hall condemned the violent protests in Sunderland as “unforgivable,” noting that four police officers were injured, three directly due to the disorder. He also reported that a mounted officer sustained serious injuries in an accident and is currently receiving treatment in hospital.

“During the course of the evening, our officers were met with serious and sustained levels of violence,” he said. “Make no mistake, if you were involved last night, expect to be met with the full force of the law.”

Police said many of the protests are being organised online by shadowy far-right groups, who are mobilising support online with phrases like “enough is enough,” “save our kids” and “stop the boats.” Counter-protests are also anticipated with the organization ‘Stand Up To Racism’ rallying against Islamophobia and the far-right.

Britain’s new Labour Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, stated on social media platform X on Saturday that criminals attacking the police and inciting disorder will “pay the price” for their actions. She also assured that the police have the government's full backing to “take the strongest possible action.”

Far-right demonstrators have staged several violent protests since the stabbing attack, clashing with police outside a mosque in Southport on Tuesday—close to the scene of the horrific incident—and throwing beer cans, bottles, and flares near the Prime Minister’s office in London the following day. Many residents of Southport have voiced their anger at the organised acts of violence in the wake of the tragedy.

The attack on children at a Taylor Swift-themed summer dance class on Monday shocked a country where knife crime is a persistent issue, although mass stabbings are rare.

Rudakubana has been charged with the murder of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6. He also faces 10 counts of attempted murder for the injuries sustained by eight children and two adults.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blamed the violence on “far-right hatred” and vowed to end the mayhem. He said police across the U.K. would be given more resources to stop “a breakdown in law and order on our streets.”

At a news conference Thursday, the prime minister said the street violence was “clearly driven by far-right hatred” as he announced a program enabling police to better share intelligence across agencies and move quickly to make arrests.

“This is coordinated; this is deliberate,” Starmer said. “This is not a protest that has got out of hand. It is a group of individuals who are absolutely bent on violence.”

“As a nation, we stand with those who tragically have lost loved ones in the heinous attack in Southport, which ripped through the very fabric of this community and left us all in shock,” he said in a statement.

Image source: AP