After a disturbing weekend of riots, fires, racism and looting across the country, the Mayor of Oldham has condemned the violence and has issued safety advice for communities concerned by the violence.

Disorder escalated across several towns and cities over the weekend as far-right groups targeted mosques, hotels housing asylum seekers, businesses and innocent members of the public as well as anti-racism counter-protesters with violence.

Police forces responded to a spate of incidents, from Rotherham to Bolton and Northern Ireland to Middlesborough, in what is being described as some of the worst rioting the UK has endured in recent years.

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The attacks come in the wake of the fatal stabbings of three young girls who were at a Taylor Swift-themed dance club in Southport, Merseyside, last week.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

Hundreds of far-right demonstrators took to the streets, chanting 'enough is enough' and 'save our children' while targeting migrants.

Social media footage shows the 'thugs' used racist terminology, and some made Nazi salutes and set places on fire while looting from town centre shops.

Demonstrators targeted asylum seekers at a hotel near Failsworth last weekDemonstrators targeted asylum seekers at a hotel near Failsworth last week (Image: Fac)

Last week, a hotel that provides shelter for asylum seekers near Failsworth on Oldham Road, Newton Heath, was one of the places that was targeted.

The group could be heard shouting verbal abuse at migrants entering the building such as "go home" and "you're not welcome here".

Over the weekend, the disorder ramped up as bricks were thrown at officers in Stoke-on-Trent, fireworks were thrown on the streets of Belfast and the windows of a hotel which had been used to house migrants were smashed in Hull on Saturday.

In Liverpool, a mob assembled outside a mosque while masked rioters rampaged around the city, targeting local businesses and burning the Spellow Library and Community Hub, which also operates as a food bank.

A large crowd also gathered outside a mosque in Middlesborough while anti-immigration rioters smashed windows and sparked a fire at the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham yesterday.

Nearby in Bolton, missiles and bricks were thrown as rioters faced counter-protestors in the town centre.

In a public address to the nation yesterday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed rioters would "regret" engaging in "far-right thuggery" and promised those involved in unrest would "face the full force of the law".

The Home Office also said mosques would be offered greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.

Downing Street is planning on holding a Cobra emergency response meeting today (Monday, August 5) to tackle the disorder.

The Mayor of Oldham, Cllr Zahid Chauhan, has also issued a statement after being contacted by community groups and individuals with "significant concerns of safety".

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Mayor said: "Thuggery, violence attacking police, emergency workers and innocent people by ANY group on names of religion, nationalism, race etc can’t be justified and all should condemn them.

"You can’t protect British values or Britain by throwing bricks at each other."

Cllr Chauhan said his "strongest advice" for people across the country is to avoid travelling to places with "high tensions" and avoid "slogans which will fuel tensions further".

The Mayor also said people "don't need [certification] from thugs of being equal citizens in this country" and urged residents to "respect others if you want to be respected - hatred will just product hatred".

He continued: "You don't need to reclaim streets [or] protect mosques by standing outside mosques.

"Check on your neighbours, especially in affected areas.

"Follow police advice and respect instructions given. They are leaving families at home and are giving up rest days to protect us and our communities.

"Personally, I am proud to belong to the NHS where people from 200 countries are supporting our communities irrespective of colour, gender or religion.

"I am proud to be in public life as an elected representative for years serving my communities in various positions alongside amazing colleagues from all backgrounds.

"Stay positive."

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk