Indonesian Embassy in London Urges Indonesians to be Vigilant After Sunderland Riot

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in London has urged Indonesian citizens to increase their vigilance following a demonstration that led to riots in the city of Sunderland. The demonstration took place a day after the murder of three girls in Southport on August 1, 2024.

The Indonesian Embassy in London issued its appeal on social media on Sunday, August 4, 2024, addressed to all Indonesian citizens in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In the social media post, the Indonesian Embassy in London appealed to Indonesian citizens, "Consider the urgency and increase vigilance, especially if you have to travel or do activities outside the home."

Indonesian citizens are also asked to follow the instructions and directions of local authorities, as well as continue to monitor communication on social media of the Indonesian Embassy in London and the local Indonesian community. They are advised to avoid crowds and places that are potential locations for mass gatherings or groups of demonstrators.

Protesters in Sunderland attacked police and set fire to the northeastern city on Friday, August 2, while violence spread to other northern cities following the murder of three girls in Southport.

Anti-immigrant protesters threw stones at police near a mosque in the city before overturning vehicles, setting a car on fire, and torching a police station, according to a BBC report.

The demonstration in Sunderland is just one of more than a dozen planned by anti-immigration protesters across the UK this weekend, including at two mosques in Liverpool, the nearby city where the three children were killed. Other Britons have planned several anti-racism counter-protests.

Police officers stand guard outside a mosque during a protest in Liverpool, Britain, August 2, 2024. (REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of the three girls in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport. False information emerged on social media that the stabbing suspect was a radical Islamic migrant, and this led to violent incidents in the following days in Southport, the northeastern town of Hartlepool, and London.

In an attempt to refute the misinformation, police have emphasized that the suspect, named Axel Rudakubana, was born in Cardiff, England. The 17-year-old was initially unnamed to comply with rules regarding child defendants, but a judge later ruled that the media could name him as Axel Rudakubana. He will turn 18 next week.

Claims that the suspect is an asylum seeker or immigrant have been viewed at least 15.7 million times on X, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms, according to a Reuters analysis.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the riots following the misinformation were not legitimate protests, but criminal riots that were "clearly driven by right-wing hatred". He also criticized social media companies.

"I also want to say to the big social media companies, and those who run them, violent riots that are clearly happening online: that's a crime too. It happened in your place, and the law must be enforced everywhere," he told a press conference.

British police deployed troops on Friday, August 2, across the country and mosques also tightened security, officials said.

In an emergency, the Indonesian Embassy in London said Indonesian citizens can call 112 or 999, or the Embassy's consular hotlines at +4477-9510-5477 and +4474-2564-8007.

REUTERS

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