In February last year, an incident of violent disorder occurred outside the Suites Hotel in Knowsley, Merseyside, which was housing asylum seekers at the time. The event, which escalated into violence with individuals chanting “get them out,” involved the throwing of rocks, fireworks, and other missiles towards a police cordon. This confrontation led to significant damage, including a police carrier van being damaged and set on fire.

Seven men were subsequently sentenced to jail for their involvement in the violence, with Judge Denis Watson KC highlighting the racially aggravated nature of the disorder during the sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court. The leading figure in the incident, Brian McPadden, received a sentence of three years and six months. Others involved, including Thomas Mills, Paul Lafferty, and Jonjo O’Donoghue, also received jail terms for their roles in the violent disorder, which resulted in injuries to three police officers.

The protest was reportedly sparked by a video shared on social media involving an asylum seeker and a 15-year-old girl, leading to ill feeling within the local community. Despite claims of the protest being originally peaceful, the situation quickly devolved into violence. The court emphasized that while the right to peaceful protest is protected, descending into violence and criminality is unacceptable and has legal consequences.

Authorities condemned the violence and misinformation that led to the incident, stressing the importance of upholding the law and the protection of vulnerable communities, such as asylum seekers, from such hostility. The defendants were not found to be part of organized far-right groups, but their actions contributed to a hostile environment during the protest. The sentencing of these individuals underscores the legal repercussions for engaging in violent disorder and targeting specific communities.