Rotherham riots: Council unites to condemn ‘terrible violence’ at Manvers hotel

The disorder began the night after a stabbing attack in Southport, in which three children attending a dance class were killed. A false rumour that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker spread online, which sparked the unrest.

South Yorkshire Police estimated that 700 people were in attendance at the Holiday Inn at Manvers on August 4. The hotel, which was housing around 200 asylum seekers, saw its windows smashed and missiles including wood, glass bottles and beer cans were thrown at officers.

Attempts were also made to light the hotel on fire, and rioters gained access to the hotel via a window. All councillors in attendance at yesterday’s full council meeting united to condemn the violence.

The Liberal Democrats went further and called for the rioters to be charged under terrorism legislation, a call also previously made by former UK counter-terror chief Neil Basu.

Council leader Chris Read said he had felt ‘deep horror and regret’ that some Rotherham residents had ‘perpetuated such inhumane acts,’ adding that their ‘barbarity shames them and their families’.

An amendment by the Liberal Democrats to label the riots a terrorist attack was accepted.

Councillor Brian Steele, who proposed the motion, said: “When people put this right-wing propaganda on social media, and say it’s wrong that people have been housed in hotels, they want to remember [that] those people who were being housed in that hotel had helped the British Army in Afghanistan.”

“To go and set a hotel alight and put individual lives at risk is appalling.”

Councillor Rachel Hughes added: “I have never been as frightened in my life. I was terrified. This is a human issue. When we have people in our society that are willing to set fire to a hotel with people in, where have we gone? This needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets any worse.”

Coun Michael Bennett-Sylvester added: “People like your Tommy Robinsons of this world, they lay the seeds of discontent in despair. They give easy answers to people that have got hard lives”.

Tabia Yaseen added that ‘cruel’ austerity measures implemented by the previous government had ‘disproportionately impacted on the most vulnerable, creating a fertile ground for frustration and anger’.

“It’s not surprising that many young white people feel angry,” Coun Yaseen added. “Especially when considering the fact that white working class boys are significantly under-represent in higher education. That frustration is misplaced, ironically, against individuals and communities that have the least bearing on their lives.”

The motion was accepted unanimously.