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A man with a swastika tattoo has been pictured in crowds of far-right rioters during a night of disorder in Sunderland linked to the Southport stabbings.
In footage shared to X, the man can be heard declaring: “English, mate, I am” in response to a person filming the video, who compliments him on his “awesome” and “pure British” tattoos.
Eight people were arrested in Sunderland on Friday evening after rioting in the city saw an old police station set on fire and clashes between officers and demonstrators.
The scenes have drawn condemnation, including from fromer chief prosecutor for North West England, Nazir Afzal.
Follow our live updates on disorder in England here
Writing on X, Mr Afzal said: “Nazi salutes, swastika tattoos, defecating in gardens, looting local shops, attacking mosques, chanting fascist slogans, throwing missiles at everyone & setting police stations on fire, but don’t you dare call them ‘far right’.
“Well, just plain “Nazis” it is then”.
Hundreds of people gathered in Keel Square, in central Sunderland, many of them draped in England flags.
Members of the crowd chanted in support of Tommy Robinson, while others shouted insults about Islam.
Mounted police followed the march, along with officers in vans who battled their way through traffic to keep up.
However, some protesters descended into violence, setting an overturned car on fire, while others targeted a mosque.
Videos posted on social media appeared to show a fire at a city centre police office, which was marked permanently closed on Google Maps and was no longer listed on a police station finder on Northumbria Police’s website.
Another clip shared online appeared to show a group Black passengers hiding on a bus in an effort to avoid the mob outisde.
Police in protective gear came under sustained attack as rioters set off fire extinguishers on them on High West Street.
There was also a standoff between police and protesters outside a mosque on Sunderland’s St Mark’s Road.
Police in riot gear came under attack with stones and beer cans thrown.
Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s member of parliament for Houghton and Sunderland South, described the events as “shocking” and took aim at participants’ “thuggery”.
“The scenes in our city centre tonight are shocking,” a statement posted online through X on Friday evening reads.
“We have seen unforgivable violence and thuggery.
“The criminals involved in this appalling disorder must be identified, prosecuted and punished with the full force of the law.
“Sunderland is better than this and these thugs do not represent our city.”
