The Recent Knife Attack in Southend-on-Sea Was Committed by British Nationals
The Claim
Last night in Southend, UK, a masked gang of immigrants attacked a man with a machete and a knife, also vandalizing his car. This is the reality created by governments with their lenient policies and under-resourced police forces."
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Emerging story
Following the recent knife attack in Southend-on-Sea, U.K., social media users shared a video of the incident and widely claimed that a masked gang of immigrants assaulted a man using a machete and a knife.
An X user blamed the government for allowing immigrants to live in the U.K., arguing they pose a threat to British citizens. The user alleged, "Last night in Southend, UK, a masked gang of immigrants attacked a man with a machete and a knife, also vandalizing his car. This is the reality created by governments with their lenient policies and under-resourced police forces."
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be fake.
Misbar’s investigation into the incident found that the knife attack was committed by individuals from the U.K., not immigrants.
The Knife Attack in Southend-on-Sea Attributed to British Individuals, Not Immigrants
Contrary to anti-immigration trolls, the claim is baseless. On September 15, Essex police announced that their investigation into the disorderly incident in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, U.K., resulted in the prompt arrest of three individuals, two men aged 24 and 19, along with a 17-year-old boy, all residents of Southend.
U.K. media outlets, such as the Daily Mail, covered the incident by releasing a video of the attack, which captured masked individuals wielding machetes as they attempted to slash a car driver in front of shocked bystanders in Southend.
Essex Police Seize Three Individuals Involved in Southend Attack
According to an Essex police statement, the police's investigation into a disorderly incident in Southend-on-Sea has led to the swift arrest of three individuals, and they are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The police received reports of an assault on Sunday, September 15. On Monday, September 16, detectives from the Serious Crime Directorate, working with local officers, made three arrests following ongoing efforts.
The arrested individuals include two men, aged 24 and 19, and a 17-year-old boy, all from Southend, who are being questioned on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Moreover, a 32-year-old man from Southend has been released on bail as investigations continue.
Chief Inspector David Browning, Southend District Commander, stated, “Anyone who thinks they can come to our city and attempt to commit crime is wrong, and can expect to be arrested.”
U.K. Recent Anti-Immigration Riots
Racist unrest involving far-right groups broke out at anti-immigration protests across Britain in August, fueled by false information circulating online that linked a deadly attack on young girls to an Islamist migrant. This unrest impacted more than a dozen locations across England and Belfast, with rioters targeting mosques, hotels inhabited by immigration, police, vehicles, and other sites.
In response, thousands of anti-racism demonstrators gathered across the U.K. to protest against the recent rioting attributed to far-right groups.
On August 23, the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination urged Britain to implement measures to combat hate speech and xenophobic rhetoric, which it stated had directly contributed to the riots. The committee expressed concern about the ongoing prevalence and, in some cases, sharp increase in hate crimes, hate speech, and xenophobic incidents, as highlighted in a press release following a review of Britain's record.
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