‘This is not Tamworth’: race riots hit the West Midlands
Thugs target asylum seeker hotel as rioting sweeps the country
Dear Patchers — here is your Monday briefing.
The country is in the grip of a wave of race riots, the likes of which have not been seen for decades. The violence was triggered after online conspiracy theories and false rumours spread like wildfire in the wake of the murder of three young girls in Southport last week. Yesterday, it reached the West Midlands when a mob attacked a Tamworth hotel — a known home for asylum seekers. In concerning news, further call outs have gone out today across right wing channels, suggesting riots could take place in east Birmingham today and the city centre on Wednesday. We’ve got the latest in today’s big story.
Catch up
For our weekend read, Josh Neicho considered the question: could Birmingham ever host the Olympics? While some think it could spell international glory, others think it should be the last thing on councillors’ minds, given the state of the finances. “[T]he Olympics is unlike any other category of mega-project in its unfailing liability to overrun costs, more extravagant even than nuclear power programmes. The process of bidding to the IOC encourages heady overspending and budget estimates based on fantastical thinking, and the potential for disruption, delay and other organisational complications is sky-high,” Josh writes. Read it here.
Coming up
The schedule of stories we had planned for this week has been adjusted in light of the news that further riots are expected in the city. We will be bringing you in-depth reporting as events unfold. You can read articles by our sister papers in Liverpool and Sheffield in our media picks section below.
Editor’s note: It’s at times like these that the need for thoroughly fact-checked and well-written journalism is greatest. When the noise of online misinformation and irresponsible reporting by sources with other interests is deafening, we work to make local readers aware of the facts. This costs money: we need to pay the reporters who are on the ground, the editors who painstakingly comb their work and the lawyers who give us vital advice in the face of powerful people with far more cash than us. If you think that all matters, then please join today.
"I heard about this on BBC and was keen to discover more. Quality local journalism is difficult to find and whilst I think global news is important so is being in touch with local issues and celebrating our positive community stories.” — Dispatch member.
Goldilocks weather
🌦️Tuesday: A potential for a quick damp start with dry and sunny spells thereafter. Max 23°C
☁️Wednesday: Sun and cloud all day. Warm with the occasional noticeable breeze. Max 23°C
☁️Thursday: Consistent cloud cover all day but no less warm. Max 21°C
⛅Friday: Sunny spells all day with a good breeze to get the drying done quickly. Max 22°C
⛅Weekend: A consistently lovely weekend. Neither too sunny, nor too cold, nor breezy. Just right. Max 20°C
We get our weather from the Met Office.
Big story: ‘This is not Tamworth’: race riots hit the West Midlands
Top line: Far-right riots broke out last night outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Tamworth, at which petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown at police officers. Police were also called to a ‘mass gathering’ in Solihull.
A week of unrest: Mobs have mobilised in a wave of riots across the country following the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport near Liverpool last Monday by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who is from Cardiff. Much of the rioting was originally stoked by misinformation and conspiracy theories spread online, including that the suspect was a recently-arrived channel migrant. The first disturbance broke out there on Tuesday, in Southport, but over the weekend there were similar scenes in Sunderland, Liverpool, Rotherham, Tamworth, Middlesbrough and elsewhere.
In Rotherham, thugs attempted to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers
In Liverpool, a community library was torched and arrests have been made for racially aggravated assault
In Middlesbrough, rioters smashed the windows of houses and torched cars
“Thuggery” in Tamworth: Last night, rioting broke out outside the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Tamworth, which is known to house asylum seekers. A crowd gathered at around 9.30pm for about three hours, causing what Staffordshire Police described as “senseless violence and acts of despicable thuggery”. They smashed windows and threw three petrol bombs which caused a series of fires. They also assaulted police officers, leaving one with a suspected broken arm. In photos published today, racist graffitti can clearly be seen scrawled on the outside walls of the hotel.
A show of solidarity: In more heartening news, a community clean-up operation has taken place today outside the hotel. People said they were there to show solidarity with the asylum seekers inside the hotel. One woman who was picking up litter told ITV News: “This is not what Tamworth is about.”
‘Mass gathering’ in Solihull: Police were present at two locations in Solihull yesterday. Firstly, a gathering in the town centre which they said in a statement “passed off without any incident”. There was a second “large gathering” on Hermitage Road, “involving two groups” according to police. Officers attended and, with the support of the local community, the groups were dispersed. No violence was reported.
PM’s response: Sir Keir Starmer has condemned yesterday’s attack on a hotel in Rotherham, calling it “organised thuggery” and insisted perpetrators will face “the full force of the law”. He has announced a new national policing unit that will consider issuing criminal-behaviour orders to restrict the movement of rioters. At least 300 arrests have already been made. The government’s emergency response committee — Cobra — met today. After the meeting Starmer announced a “standing army” of specialist officers to “deal with this where we need them”. He added that he has asked for early consideration by the criminal justice system of those who are identified as having been involved in the riots. He said: “This is not protest, it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities.”
Parliamentary pushback: A group of MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn and the newly elected independent MP for Perry Barr, Ayoub Khan, have written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to request an urgent meeting. They welcome Starmer’s condemnation of the thuggery but insist that “his words do not go nearly far enough in identifying the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim hatred driving this violence”.
What’s next? Call out messages have flooded far-right social media and messaging channels to assemble at various locations this afternoon and on Wednesday evening. The messages in all capitals say “no more immigration” and tell people to “mask up”. It is difficult to know what to expect — The Dispatch has heard one of the main Telegram channels used to share information has been infiltrated by counter-protestors who want to lure the far-right on purpose.
Police update: Chief Constable Craig Gilford has put out a message to say that counter protests, “while fully understandable” could unduly stretch national resources. He said he would continue meeting with community representatives throughout the afternoon to address their concerns and update them on police plans. He did not go into detail on how rioters would be dealt with, only to say it would be “professional and direct”.
Photo of the week
Damian Walmsley has captured a small pocket of calm, with the sun shining on the courtyard of the famous Back to Backs in central Birmingham.
Brum in brief
📉 Commonwealth Village deficit: While many of us are keenly following the Olympic action, the closer-to-home Commonwealth Games story still isn’t over — and it isn’t a fairy tale ending. The Birmingham City Council housing development earmarked for Commonwealth Athletes and officials, but never used as such — it wasn’t finished in time — has long had plots within it up for sale. Officials now believe that even with a successful sale the Council will be left circa £150m in the red for the project and having to service debt to the tune of £8m a year for a long time after. Full story here, with other plans for parts of the development not being sold.
🛬 Stress-free Airport: Birmingham Airport is rolling out a new ‘stress-free’ service for flyers with hidden disabilities. Those with sunflower lanyards can now get assistance during the check-in process, but airport bosses say it will not fast-track them ahead of other passengers. "This new process ensures we can fully support our customers with the help they need, whether from the check-in point to the aircraft or just through the security process," said Chris Wilson, head of terminal operations. More here.
📖 Library ‘zine campaign: Big-name writers from the city are putting together a new ‘protest zine’ to champion Brum’s libraries in the face of cuts. After visiting the venues and hosting residencies, the writers will create a short piece inspired by their visit which will then be published in a free magazine in September. Wordsmiths involved include Jonathan Coe, Kit de Waal, Mark Billingham, Casey Bailey and Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Jasmine Gardosi. All the details.
Home of the week
A hop, skip and a short canal ride and you’re in the city centre if you live in this three-bedroom home on the modern Port Loop development. It’s available for £465,000.
Media picks
📰Our sister papers in Sheffield and Liverpool have been working tirelessly to cover the violence as it unfolded in and around both of their cities over the past week.
Jack Walton was present at the riots in Southport. “As we chat, a man standing nearby asks about the name Al-Shakati, which he has also heard. Samuel tells him the name is made up. “Right, right,” he says. “I see. It’s hard to know what to believe sometimes”,” Jack reports.
“Moving round to the side of the hotel, the rioters caught the police by surprise and gained entry to the hotel. They were repelled but came back with a large bin and set it on fire. “They’re going to burn it down,” I heard a man near me say, his voice suddenly concerned over what might be about to happen. For a few horrible moments I thought he was right”, writes Dan Hayes about the attack on a Rotherham hotel yesterday. He found a mix of people: some determined to burn everyone in the hotel, and others who had come for a “recreational riot” to soak up the drama. “As a journalist I would normally be asking people questions about why they were there, but for the most part I was stood there open-mouthed or else genuinely scared for my safety,” Dan writes.
Things to do
Tuesday
🎍 For budding artists (and families looking for a summer holiday activity) The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is leading a session all about making, focusing on the form and structure of plants. It’s free and kicks off at 11 am. More here.
⚽ Calling all Bluenoses: Birmingham City legend Paul Devlin is hosting an evening talking through his career, with the potential for juicy behind-the-scenes stories. All the details.
Wednesday
🐝 For those wanting to get creative and learn more about the planet, community-building and sustainability, the three-day SPARK festival kicks off at The Glue Garden (just off Manor Park). Here are the details.
🕺 Kicking off a two-night stint at Utilita Arena, noughties R&B star Justin Timberlake will be playing tunes such as SexyBack, Rock Your Body and Mirrors. For fans, click through here.
Thursday
🍺 Like pints? People? Belting out songs with a room full of strangers? Then Thursday’s Pub Choir lesson at the Glee Club is where you need to head to. More at a click.
🎸 Tamworth is hosting the first of four open-air concerts with the London Symphonic Rock Orchestra, starting at the Tamworth Castle Grounds on the 8th. Tickets via the link.
It's so easy for disinformation to spread when most of our newspapers are more interested in posting celebrity tittle-tattle clickbait than proper news stories about our world. Thank you, Birmingham Dispatch!
There's a good article here too
https://www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/p/the-boy-at-the-window