World

UN human rights chief 'appalled' by violence in United Kingdom

By Reuters Reuters
A burnt car lies at Antrim Road, in the aftermath of anti-immigrant protests following a knife attack on June 8, which left a man seriously injured and prompted police to declare a critical incident, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, June 11, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
A burnt car lies at Antrim Road, in the aftermath of anti-immigrant protests following a knife attack on June 8, which left a man seriously injured and prompted police to declare a critical incident, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, June 11, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes Isabel Infantes Reuters

GENEVA - The United Nations human rights chief said on Thursday he was appalled by violence erupting in different parts of the United Kingdom in recent days.

On Tuesday rioters in Northern Ireland targeted ethnic minorities and foreign residents by torching homes and vehicles following a knife attack for which a Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder. On Wednesday police deployed water cannon to tackle rioters for a second night.

Earlier in June, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned violent protests over ​the case of an 18-year-old who was handcuffed as he lay dying after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack, and said ‌it was "unforgivable" to exploit it to stir tensions.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Editing by Linda Pasquini, Alexandra Hudson)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 6:07 AM.

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