麻豆传媒

Skip to main content

King Charles III applauds people who stood against racism during recent unrest in the U.K.

Police forces secure the area ahead of a far-right anti-immigration protest in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.(AP Photo/Scott Heppell) Police forces secure the area ahead of a far-right anti-immigration protest in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.(AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Share
LONDON, United Kingdom -

King Charles III has applauded people who took to the streets of British towns and cities earlier this week to help blunt days of unrest fueled by far-right activists and misinformation about a stabbing attack that killed three girls.

Charles on Friday held telephone audiences with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and law enforcement officials during which he offered his 鈥渉eartfelt thanks鈥 to police and other emergency workers for their efforts to restore order and help those affected by the violence, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

鈥淭he king shared how he had been greatly encouraged by the many examples of community spirit that had countered the aggression and criminality from a few with the compassion and resilience of the many," the palace said. 鈥淚t remains his majesty鈥檚 hope that shared values of mutual respect and understanding will continue to strengthen and unite the nation."

British police remain on alert for further violence after the nation was convulsed by rioting for more than a week as crowds spouting anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans attacked mosques, looted shops and clashed with police. The government described the violence as 鈥渇ar-right thuggery,鈥 and mobilized 6,000 specially trained police officers to quell the unrest.

The disturbances have been fueled by right-wing activists using social media to spread misinformation about the July 29 knife attack in which three girls between the ages of 6 and 9 were killed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in the seaside community of Southport.

Police detained a 17-year-old suspect. Rumors, later debunked, quickly circulated on social media that the suspect was an asylum-seeker, or a Muslim immigrant.

The unrest has largely dissipated since Wednesday night, when a wave of expected far-right demonstrations failed to materialize after thousands of peaceful protesters flocked to locations around the U.K. to show their support for immigrants and asylum-seekers.

Police had prepared for confrontations at more than 100 locations after right-wing groups circulated lists of potential targets on social media. While anti-racism groups planned counterprotests in response, in most places they reclaimed the streets with nothing to oppose.

Starmer has insisted the police will remain on high alert this weekend, which marks the beginning of the professional soccer season. Authorities have been studying whether there is a link between the rioters and groups of 鈥渇ootball hooligans鈥 known to incite trouble at soccer matches.

鈥淢y message to the police and all of those that are charged with responding to disorder is maintain that high alert,鈥 Starmer said on Friday while visiting the special operations room of London鈥檚 Metropolitan Police Service.

The National Police Chiefs鈥 Council said some 741 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, including 304 who have been charged with criminal offenses.

Courts around the country have already begun hearing the cases of those charged in relation to the unrest, with some receiving sentences of three years in prison.

Starmer has said he is convinced that the 鈥渟wift justice that has been dispensed in our courts鈥 will discourage rioters from returning to the streets this weekend.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.

A 27-year-old man is facing several charges after police observed a vehicle travelling 134 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 174 in Ottawa's east end.

Local Spotlight

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

On Saturday night at her parents鈥 home in Delaware, Ont. the Olympic bronze medallist in pole vault welcomed everyone who played a role in getting her to the podium in Paris.

A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.