As riots and street disorder continue to spread across the UK, five countries have now issued travel and safety warnings to their citizens.
The United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia have all advised their citizens residing in or visiting the UK that parts of the country currently pose significant safety risks due to ongoing unrest. This unrest, initially ignited by anti-immigration protests, has now spread throughout England and Northern Ireland.
Numerous towns and cities, including the popular tourist destinations of Liverpool and Manchester, have witnessed violent disorder over the past week, with far-right groups clashing with police and counter-demonstrators.
The disturbances persisted on Monday night in various parts of the UK, including Belfast in Northern Ireland, Darlington in the North, and Plymouth on the South Coast. According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, 378 arrests have been made since the riots began last Tuesday.
Other instances of disorder have been reported across the country, from smaller towns like Rotherham and Middlesbrough to larger cities such as Bristol, Leeds, and Hull. London, a major tourist hub, has not experienced any significant disturbances.
On Monday, the UAE’s foreign ministry advised its citizens in the UK “to exercise the highest level of caution and take the necessary precautions in light of the unstable security situation in various cities across the UK.” The ministry also warned UAE nationals to avoid areas experiencing riots and protests and to steer clear of crowded places.
Australia issued a travel advisory on Monday, urging its citizens to “avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence,” while Malaysia has advised its nationals not to travel to the UK.
Nigeria stated that the riots “have assumed a violent and disorderly outlook” and “may spread across the country.” It warned its citizens “to be extra vigilant, stay away from protest areas and avoid large gatherings.”
Riots and street violence erupted last week after false claims spread online that a mass stabbing on Monday, in which three young girls were killed, had been carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.
Following the attack, disturbances erupted in numerous towns and cities, with large groups chanting racist, anti-immigration, and anti-Muslim slogans, damaging buildings, looting, and clashing with riot police and local counter-protesters.
In the worst instances of violence, shops and mosques have been attacked, and bricks and petrol bombs have been hurled. Fires were started at a hotel in Rotherham that rioters believed housed asylum seekers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence as “far-right thuggery,” while Neil Basu, the former head of counter-terrorism policing, stated on Monday that some of the violence during the riots had “crossed the line into terrorism.”
The government has pledged to increase police numbers and promised an immediate crackdown on the rioting, stating that anyone involved would be dealt with promptly by the criminal justice system. Over 500 additional prison places are being prepared to detain suspected rioters.
The disorder has also brought communities together, with counter-protests and community clean-ups taking place. Many locals have denounced those involved in the disturbances, asserting that they do not represent their communities.
The underlying causes of the violence present a challenge for the new Labour government, with ongoing debates over immigration and social cohesion likely to be addressed once the unrest subsides.
