02:07Riot police were seen in the streets of Bolton on Sunday as clashes erupted between anti-immigrant protesters and a counter-demonstration as a wave of violence continued across the UK.
Footage shows members of the town's Muslim community guarding a local mosque as officers attempt to disperse crowds.
According to local reports, the demonstration began peacefully but quickly became violent as some 300 protesters charged towards the Bolton Town Hall, where a separate group had gathered waving England flags.
Both groups reportedly launched fireworks and threw bottles at each other at other locations around the town as police worked to separate the rival factions.
It comes amid widespread unrest across towns and cities in the UK after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a dance class in northwest England's Southport last week.
British Prime Minister Kier Starmer condemned what he described as 'far-right thuggery' on Sunday and vowed that perpetrators would face the 'full force of the law'.
"I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online," the PM said. "This is not protest; it is organised violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets."
The protests come after various reports circulated online alleged that the Southport stabbing had an Islamist link and that the perpetrator was a recently-arrived migrant.
Three young girls aged between six and nine were stabbed to death in the town of Southport on Monday during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children were hurt - five critically - along with two adults.
The police have confirmed that the 17-year-old suspect - who has not been named due to his age - was born in Cardiff to parents of Rwandan heritage, although there has been media criticism about a perceived lack of transparency.
Riot police deployed in Bolton as violent protests spread across UK
Riot police were seen in the streets of Bolton on Sunday as clashes erupted between anti-immigrant protesters and a counter-demonstration as a wave of violence continued across the UK.
Footage shows members of the town's Muslim community guarding a local mosque as officers attempt to disperse crowds.
According to local reports, the demonstration began peacefully but quickly became violent as some 300 protesters charged towards the Bolton Town Hall, where a separate group had gathered waving England flags.
Both groups reportedly launched fireworks and threw bottles at each other at other locations around the town as police worked to separate the rival factions.
It comes amid widespread unrest across towns and cities in the UK after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a dance class in northwest England's Southport last week.
British Prime Minister Kier Starmer condemned what he described as 'far-right thuggery' on Sunday and vowed that perpetrators would face the 'full force of the law'.
"I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online," the PM said. "This is not protest; it is organised violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets."
The protests come after various reports circulated online alleged that the Southport stabbing had an Islamist link and that the perpetrator was a recently-arrived migrant.
Three young girls aged between six and nine were stabbed to death in the town of Southport on Monday during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children were hurt - five critically - along with two adults.
The police have confirmed that the 17-year-old suspect - who has not been named due to his age - was born in Cardiff to parents of Rwandan heritage, although there has been media criticism about a perceived lack of transparency.
Riot police were seen in the streets of Bolton on Sunday as clashes erupted between anti-immigrant protesters and a counter-demonstration as a wave of violence continued across the UK.
Footage shows members of the town's Muslim community guarding a local mosque as officers attempt to disperse crowds.
According to local reports, the demonstration began peacefully but quickly became violent as some 300 protesters charged towards the Bolton Town Hall, where a separate group had gathered waving England flags.
Both groups reportedly launched fireworks and threw bottles at each other at other locations around the town as police worked to separate the rival factions.
It comes amid widespread unrest across towns and cities in the UK after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a dance class in northwest England's Southport last week.
British Prime Minister Kier Starmer condemned what he described as 'far-right thuggery' on Sunday and vowed that perpetrators would face the 'full force of the law'.
"I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online," the PM said. "This is not protest; it is organised violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets."
The protests come after various reports circulated online alleged that the Southport stabbing had an Islamist link and that the perpetrator was a recently-arrived migrant.
Three young girls aged between six and nine were stabbed to death in the town of Southport on Monday during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children were hurt - five critically - along with two adults.
The police have confirmed that the 17-year-old suspect - who has not been named due to his age - was born in Cardiff to parents of Rwandan heritage, although there has been media criticism about a perceived lack of transparency.