UN rights office voices concern over violent protests in UK

GENEVA

The UN human rights office on Tuesday voiced concern over ongoing violent protests in the UK that erupted after the fatal stabbing of three young girls in the northwestern English town of Southport last week.

Their deaths have further strained community relations and sparked additional episodes of disorder in towns and cities across England.

Noting that the office had been closely monitoring the unrest and violence that erupted in different parts of the country over the past few days, a spokesperson for the office told Anadolu: "As in any other State, we are concerned at violent incidents, including attacks on police, as well as instances of islamophobia and attacks against mosques, attacks against centres housing asylum seekers and migrants, and anti-migrant rhetoric."

Thameen Al-Kheetan stressed that while the right to peaceful assembly is fundamental, it must always be exercised in a peaceful manner.

"Advocacy of racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, is unacceptable and must be prohibited," Al-Kheetan added.

He also welcomed the UK government's "highest level" commitment to combating violence according to the law.

"We urge the Government effectively to respond to incitement to hatred — especially when it targets segments of the population who are in the most vulnerable situations, such as asylum seekers — in a manner that complies fully with international human rights norms and standards," he said.

The spokesperson called on politicians and other influential figures to avoid divisive and dehumanizing rhetoric that incites hatred, violence, or discrimination.

"This includes refraining from casting certain groups of people, such as migrants and refugees, as scapegoats to distract from the real problems that need to be addressed," Al-Kheetan said.

On social media posts inciting violence, he urged digital media platforms to use community standards and other tools to effectively moderate content that promotes hatred in accordance with the October 2012 Rabat Plan of Action, which endorses the ban of advocacy for national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.

Anti-immigrant protesters descended on Southport from elsewhere, attacking police and targeting a mosque following the incident.

More than 150 people were arrested during violent disorder in various UK towns and cities over the weekend.

The violence marked some of the worst rioting the UK has seen in recent years.

Also, a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, a town in South Yorkshire, was targeted Sunday by far-right rioters on the sixth day of violent disorder, leaving it damaged and people in shock.

Rioters threw planks of wood at officers and sprayed them with fire extinguishers before smashing hotel windows to gain access to the premises as riots continued to escalate across England.

Around 700 people took part in the riots where they set a generator and a large bin close to a window of the hotel alight, causing a small fire.