British PM Says Right Wing Riots Are Planned

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer/PHOTO via Instagram @keirstarmer

JAKARTA - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned far-right demonstrators after the outbreak of violence in London and elsewhere following the killing of three children in Southport, England.

"As far as the right-wing group is concerned, it's coordinated, it's intentional," he said at a news conference on Thursday, August 1.

"This is not just a protest. This is a group of individuals who really tend to commit violence," he continued.

British police have charged a 17-year-old boy with the murder of three young girls and 10 counts of attempted murder in a knife attack in dance class.

Reported by Reuters, an unnamed teenager due to his age, underwent trial at Liverpool's Court of Magistrat on Thursday, August 1, for Monday's attack on the summer holiday of "Taylor Swift yoga and dance" for children in the Southport beach town.

In the aftermath of the attack, riots broke out in the northwestern city of England on Tuesday after hoax information spread on social media that said the suspect behind the stabbing was a radical Islamic migrant. Anti-immigrant protesters flocked to the city from elsewhere.

In London on Wednesday, thousands of people gathered near the prime minister's residence on Downing Street, chanting 'Save our children', 'We want our country back' and'stop the (migrant)) boats, as well as the singing of English football. More than 100 people have been arrested.

Police said the attack was not linked to terrorism and suspects were born in the UK, thus denying speculation about its origins.

"Although this indictment is an important milestone in this investigation, it is still a direct investigation," Police Chief Serena Kennedy said at a news conference.

In addition to killing three girls aged six to nine, Monday's attack in the city, which is usually deserted, left eight other children with stab wounds.

Five people are still in critical condition in hospital, along with two adults trying to protect them, police said.