Old Video of Police Raiding a Place Resurfaces Amid Ongoing Riots in the U.K.

Misbar investigated the circulating footage and found the claim to be misleading.

A thorough reverse image search found the video making the rounds to be old and unrelated to the recent riots in the U.K.

Outdated Video Shows Manchester Police Arresting Drug Dealers

Contrary to social media users’ claim, the video is not recent and has no relation to the anti-immigration protests in the U.K.

A YouTube channel posted the original video on May 15, 2024, with a description stating that it shows Manchester police conducting raids against drug dealers. In the video, the police officers used electric saws to open the suspect’s door.

Manchester Police Arrest 24 Alleged Drug Dealers

On May 14, 2024, Greater Manchester Police issued a statement announcing the arrest of 24 suspected drug dealers as part of a major operation targeting drug supply in Piccadilly Gardens. 

According to the police's statement, Operation Vulcan, with support from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), has been conducting an undercover investigation in the area, alongside visible patrols.

In a coordinated effort, nearly 300 officers executed 23 warrants at various locations across Greater Manchester, resulting in the arrests of 22 men and two women, aged between 18 and 45, on suspicion of involvement in the supply of class A drugs. The suspects remain in police custody as searches continue. So far, authorities have seized almost £10,000 in cash, hundreds of snap bags containing drugs, and several crucial mobile phones and SIM cards.

Fatal Stabbing of Three Young Girls in England

On July 29, a tragic knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga event claimed the lives of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar. Eight more children and two adults were injured in the incident.

Later that day, police arrested a 17-year-old from a nearby village and confirmed that the incident was not being treated as terror-related.

However, social media was flooded with false claims that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the U.K. by boat in 2023, along with an incorrect name being widely circulated. In addition, baseless rumors spread that the suspect was Muslim.

Police urged the public to refrain from spreading "unconfirmed speculation and false information." Despite these warnings, violence erupted near a local mosque, where people threw bricks, bottles, and other projectiles at the mosque and police. A police van was set on fire, and 27 officers were taken to the hospital.

Ongoing Anti-immigration Violence in the U.K.

Riots erupted across England, from Plymouth on the south coast to Sunderland in the North East, with unrest also spreading to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Crowds targeted mosques and asylum seeker accommodations, setting fire to cars and buildings, including a library, and looting shops.

In south Belfast, violent clashes between anti-immigration and anti-racism protesters outside the city hall were said to involve “racist elements,” according to a judge.

In Rotherham on Sunday, staff at a Holiday Inn housing asylum seekers recounted how they barricaded themselves by stacking fridges and other furniture against a door as a mob smashed its way into the building. Nearby residents reported fleeing their homes as rioters entered their gardens.

By August 6, police had made more than 400 arrests, with the number expected to rise. As of August 8, Tiffany Lynch, chair of the Police Federation, estimated that over 100 police officers had been injured in the disorder, with some requiring hospital treatment.

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