Australia has upgraded its travel warning for the UK in the wake of widespread protests and riots, instructing travellers to exercise a high degree of caution.
Protests in the UK have arisen in the wake of the murder of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Standcombe, 7, and Alice DaSilva Aguiar, 9, at a dance event in England on July 29.
The incident left several other people injured.
The suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, was born to migrant parents and the girls’ murders have brought discord around the UK’s migrant program to a head.
Australia’s Smart Traveller website now advises travellers to the UK to exercise a “high degree of caution” in areas where protests and riots are in progress.
“Avoid areas where protests and riots are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence,” the Australian government website warns.
“Monitor the media for information and updates. Follow the instructions of local authorities.”
The site also notes that the terrorism threat level for Northern Ireland had been reduced from severe to substantial, meaning an attack was likely.
“Islamic extremism, extreme right-wing ideology and the status of Northern Ireland contribute to the threat,” the Australian government warned.
Arrests Underway
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the media on the morning of Aug. 7 (AEST), where he announced the outcome of the COBRA held to discuss the riots.“I made it very clear on a number of occasions that those involved will feel the full force of the law,” he said in a video posted to X.
“So we coordinated, we went through some of the numbers.
“Over 400 people now have been arrested, 100 have been charged, some in relation to online activity, and a number of them are already in court.”
Starmer said he expected sentences to be handed out to protesters by the end of the week.
“That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week and that nobody should be involving themselves in this disorder.”
Supporters of the protests have accused the British leader of double standards, with Heritage Party Leader David Kurten labelling the approach as “two-tier policing.”
“People are on the streets to protest about the rise in violent crime from migrant communities,” he said on X.
“Which is clearly going on and is a result of decades of mass rapid immigration which has been imposed on ordinary working people in towns and cities around the country by governments ... But now, of course, that’s spreading everywhere, to every town, every city, every village in the UK.”
Kurten encouraged peaceful protest and condemned violence and looting. However, he claimed police had been going in hard on anti-migration protesters while people protesting other causes in the UK had not been dealt with so harshly.
