Violent riots broke out in the city of Sunderland on August 2nd, prompting musician Nadine Shah to describe the scenes as “rancid.” The riots were deemed far-right and Islamophobic, as those in the streets could be heard shouting Islamophobic slurs and supporting the founder of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson. Kim McGuinness, the Mayor of the North East, called rioters “appalling.”
Shah, who grew up in the area, posted on social media on August 3rd to address the events of the previous night. “The scenes from Sunderland last night are rancid. Love and solidarity to all my brothers and sisters feeling scared and targeted right now,” she wrote. Shah added, “Sunderland is made up of good decent people and we can’t let this hatred fester and grow. SUNLUN ❤️.”
Three officers in the Northumbria Police were injured during the violence and required hospital treatment, while eight people have been arrested. A police station was attacked and a Citizens Advice building was set alight. Protesters also threw bricks and beer cans at riot police outside a mosque in the city and overturned and set fire to cars.
The disorder is believed to be linked to the killing of three girls in Southport on Monday and the widespread misinformation about the killer that subsequently spread on social media. Nadine Shah released her fifth album ‘Filthy Underneath’ back in February. The album received a four-star review from NME, calling it “devastatingly human.”
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron of the Northumbria Police called the violence “utterly deplorable” and said her officers had been confronted with “serious and sustained” violence. Despite the violence and hate observed during the riots, Shah reiterated her love for her hometown and the “good decent people” that make up Sunderland
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