By Joe Locker and Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporters
The leader of Nottingham City Council has condemned “violence and threats made by far-right mobs” and pledged to work with the crime commissioner and police to reduce future risks.
Protests have been staged and riots have erupted in various parts of the country after Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died following stabbings in Southport at the end of July.
Claims were shared on social media that the person responsible was a Muslim asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat.
However, the suspect, 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff and has no known links to Islam.
Rudakubana, from Banks, Lancashire, is now due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25.
Following the attacks, a protest was held at Nottingham’s Old Market Square on Saturday (August 3) – which was shared online by several far-right groups.
A counter-protest was also held at the same time near the Brian Clough statue.
Eight people have now been charged by police, after 15 arrests were made on the day.
The scenes in Nottingham did not mirror the rioting, looting and civil unrest in other parts of the country.
However, following the protests, councillors in the city tabled an emergency motion at an Extraordinary Full Council meeting on Monday, August 5.
Councillors resolved to work with Nottinghamshire Police, the police and crime commissioner Gary Godden and other partners to reduce future risks in the city.
Leader of the council, Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), condemned the gathering of “far-right mobs” in the city and said: “Let me be clear, all of us in this chamber, regardless of our political affiliation, should be condemning outright the violence and threats made by far-right mobs, including one which gathered on the steps of this building on Saturday.
“It is down to the work of Nottinghamshire Police, our staff at the council, other partners including trade unions and anti-racist groups that the rampant criminality we have seen elsewhere was not visited upon the Old Market Square.”
Cllr Corall Jenkins (Lab), who tabled the motion, added: “Nottingham City Council condemns the Islamophobic violence from those that have targeted places of worship, incited racial hatred, caused property damage and injured police.
“We condemn those who have tried to divide our communities and single out our Muslim communities and refugees in particular.
“The far-right consistently exploit high-profile incidents as well as the general decline in living standards through austerity to peddle their hatred, rhetoric and violence.
“Not only should we challenge this head-on, but fight to improve things for everyone to offer hope and unity.”
The council resolved to write to the leader of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council to offer condolences, to thank Nottinghamshire Police officers, the police commissioner, and community protection teams.
The street cleaning teams and NHS staff who treated those who had been injured were also thanked.
The council says it will now work with police commissioner Gary Godden (Lab) to reduce future risks.
Police commissioner Mr Godden told the Police and Crime Committee on Tuesday, August 6, that violence wouldn’t be tolerated.
“The weekend didn’t end up with burning cars, people running through streets looting shops and destroying the city centre,” he said.
“I think that is a compliment to the way it’s been policed and managed.
“Unfortunately we’re in a time where misinformation is powerful and the deaths of three young children have been hijacked by the far-right.
“It’s abhorrent and appalling. We must remain vigilant. We have information to suggest there will be further unrest tomorrow (Wednesday, August 7).
“Police are aware and it will be policed robustly and also sensitively. This can’t be tolerated and must be dealt with by the full letter of the law.”
