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Russia could be fuelling far-right riots after Southport killings, ex-MI6 boss warns
1 August 2024, 10:11 | Updated: 1 August 2024, 10:16
Former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove on the riots after Southport
Russia could be using online disinformation to fuel far-right riots that have broken out across the UK after the Southport killings on Monday, the former head of MI6 has warned LBC.
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Sir Richard Dearlove told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that he would not be surprised if the riots in Southport, London, Hartlepool, Manchester were stoked by Kremlin bots.
Wild false rumours have spread online among far-right groups about the identity of the teen suspect accused of murdering three children and trying to murder several more in Southport on Monday.
These have led to violent protests in the Lancashire town on Tuesday, as well as others in Downing Street in central London, in Hartlepool in the north-east, and in Manchester on Wednesday night.
Read More: Boy, 17, charged with three counts of murder following Southport stabbings
Across all the protests, over 100 people have been arrested, and dozens of police officers have been hurt, including some left with serious injuries.
Sir Richard said: "We're in a state of grey warfare with Russia. We may not feel that we are, [but] they certainly think they are, and the information space - and the exploitation of that space - is a fundamental tactic in their conflict with the West.
"So if these bots have been used to stir up through social media a violent response, I'm not the slightest bit surprised.
"People don't just seem to understand the extent of the Russian attitude to conflict and the way that every aspect of their relationship with us will be seen as a basis for attacking us".
A former security minister has echoed these claims, saying that "hostile states" were using the Southport attack to rile people up.
Stephen McPartland said: "Disinformation to undermine democracy is a huge part of the Russian playbook and just in May the British government expelled a Russian defence attache and accused the Russian Federal Security Service [FSB] of systemic malign cyberattacks aimed at undermining democracy.
Labour MP: Discussion needed on 'responsibility' of social media platforms as false online claims spread
“The tragic events in Southport are being mobilised by hostile states to stir up hatred and division instead of letting the community grieve. We need much more cyber-resilience throughout our whole society and economy to defend democracy."
Others are unsure about whether Russia is involved. Marcus Beard, a former Downing Street aide who worked on countering conspiracy theories during the pandemic, told the Guardian: "Russian state tactics tend to be more focused on sowing discord and planting multiple narratives to confuse and divide. This feels a little too one-sided for that.”
Some 110 people were arrested in London, eight were detained in Hartlepool, along with two in Manchester. Four were arrested in Southport after a riot on Tuesday night.
It followed Monday's attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, where a knifeman killed six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, aged nine.
Eight more children were hurt, with five of those children in a critical condition, along with two adults.
Social media disinformation spread claiming that the attack was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who crossed the Channel in a small boat.
The false information appears to have been posted online by a website called Channel 3 News - which has since apologised - before being widely circulated on far-right social media accounts, such as Tommy Robinson's Twitter.
The 17-year-old who has been charged with the murders and attempted murders was born in Cardiff to parents who came from Rwanda. LBC has been told he comes from a Christian background. He is due in court on Thursday.
On Wednesday night in central London, protesters launched beer cans and glass bottles at police officers. They also hurled flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.
Demonstrators wearing England flags and waving banners shouted "enough is enough" and "stop the boats".
The angry scenes also included loud chants of: "We want our country back" and: "Oh Tommy Robinson", referring to the right-wing activist.
One man wore a shirt with the slogan: "Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary".
In Hartlepool, confrontations with the police continued late into the night, where demonstrators set fire to a police car and pelted officers with missiles, including glass bottles.
In Manchester, there was a demonstration outside the Holiday Inn on Oldham Road before dispersing the crowd after protesters started throwing beer bottles at officers and members of the public.
The Manchester attack also saw chants of: "We want our country back", while a group of men were seen jumping in the path of a bus, smashing its wing mirror and assaulting a passenger.
There was a demonstration in Aldershot that was met by police, but it seems not to have been marred by the violence seen elsewhere.
It comes after a riot attended by over 200 people in Southport on Tuesday night, where four people were arrested and 53 police officers were injured, along with three police dogs.
The riot saw violent thugs hurling missiles at a mosque and police officers.
Police cars were also torched in the violence, which took place less than an hour after a vigil that was held for Bebe, Elsie and Alice
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say the killings in Southport highlight the "bravery of our emergency services workers" and the "vitally important work" they carry out.
The PM is expected to give police his backing as he warns criminals who exploit the right to protest will face the "full force of the law".
Sir Keir visited the scene of Monday's attack to lay a wreath along with local police leaders and was heckled while doing so.
Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for Mersey-Cheshire, confirmed the suspect is from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire, but was born in Cardiff, Wales.
Two adults - including one organiser of the event - and five children remain in a critical condition in hospital following the violent attack which took place at The Hart Space community centre.
