London — Violent disorder has swept across several UK cities after the tragic murder of three young girls in Southport, north-west England. The riots, involving hundreds of anti-immigration protesters, are the most widespread the UK has seen in 13 years.

The unrest began after false information spread on social media, falsely claiming that the suspect in last week’s knife attack at a children’s dance class was a radical Muslim migrant. Police have since clarified that the suspect, Axel Rudakubana, 17, was born in Britain. Despite this, anti-immigration and anti-Muslim demonstrators have continued their protests, which have now escalated into violence, arson, and looting.

Cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, Blackpool, Nottingham, Leeds, and Belfast have all witnessed violent outbreaks. The clashes saw scuffles break out, with bricks and bottles thrown as anti-immigration protesters confronted groups opposed to racism.

In Liverpool, the situation turned particularly severe with two officers hospitalized with suspected facial fractures, and another officer pushed from his motorbike and assaulted during the unrest involving about 750 protesters and a similar number of rival protesters. Several shops were vandalized and looted in the city.

Bristol experienced similar scenes where anti-racist protesters outnumbered anti-immigration groups. TV footage showed protesters facing off with police in riot gear. In Belfast, some businesses suffered damage, with at least one set on fire.

Police have detained numerous protesters across the country for offenses ranging from violent disorder to burglary and criminal damage. Extra police forces have been deployed to maintain order, and mosques nationwide have been advised to strengthen security following an attack on a Southport mosque on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, facing his first major crisis since his election a month ago, has condemned the “far right” for the violence and backed the police to take strong action. Starmer discussed the situation with senior ministers on Saturday, emphasizing the need for decisive action against the disorder.

Mark Hall, Chief Police Superintendent of the Sunderland area, described the violent protests in his jurisdiction as “unforgivable violence and disorder.” In Sunderland, anti-immigration demonstrators threw stones at police near a mosque, overturned vehicles, set a car alight, and started a fire near a police station.

Residents in affected areas have begun to clean up the aftermath of the riots. In Belfast, cafe owner Rahmi Akyol expressed his shock and sorrow over the attacks on his business, stating, “I have no reason why they attacked us… I don’t know what to say. It’s terrible.”

As the UK grapples with this wave of violence, the priority remains restoring peace and addressing the misinformation that sparked the unrest. More updates from BBC