Shops, banks and GP surgeries across the country shut early tonight amid fears of further rioting in the wake of the Southport stabbings.

Reports spread on social media suggesting a ‘riot’ was set to hit the West Yorkshire town of Huddersfield at 1pm today, while protesters gathered in Birmingham after rumours of a gathering spread online and thugs clashed with police in Plymouth.

Frightened by the despairing scenes of violence and looting in other UK cities in recent days, many businesses have chosen to pull down the shutters ahead of time – while police have been mobilised in the town centre.

Elsewhere, staff and students at Oxford University were warned to avoid the area around the Carfax Tower in the city centre ahead of a feared protest.

A GP surgery in Birmingham also closed as hundreds of Muslims turned out to counter a rumoured far-right gathering while in Plymouth, arrests were made as anti-immigration protesters clashed with anti-fascists.

In Southport, meanwhile, locals have turned out peacefully with balloons, teddies and flowers to remember the victims of the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last Monday. 

It comes as some of the first rioting suspects were hauled before court after being arrested in connection with the outrageous scenes across the country in recent days – some of whom wept in the dock as charges were read out.

BIRMINGHAM: Some protesters donned masks to stand on the roundabout – as many have in the riots seen in recent days

PLYMOUTH: An anti-immigration protester clashes with anti-racism protesters in Plymouth tonight

HUDDERSFIELD: A man faces an anti-racism protester during tense stand-offs in Plymouth

HUDDERSFIELD: Shops in Huddersfield closed early as claims of a planned protest in the town spread on social media

SOUTHPORT: In contrast to riots across the country during anti-immigration protests, locals turned out in Southport to lay flowers and teddies and blow bubbles

A Barclays bank branch closed early due to ‘circumstances beyond our control’

Around 80 per cent of shops and businesses in Huddersfield town centre have shut their doors or pulled down their shutters in the anticipation of possible looting.

Barclays and NatWest banks, as well as McDonalds have closed until tomorrow morning.

Hairdressers, shoe shops and clothing stores are also closed for ‘staff safety’.

West Yorkshire Police has deployed a dozen or so officers in St George’s Square, outside the railway station and in which stands the statue of former Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

It said in a statement reported by Yorkshire Live: ‘We are of course aware of recent disorder across the country and continue to monitor relevant intelligence relating to the possibility of further incidents.’

Reports suggest some of the businesses that closed today were run by Asian people – and Asian men travelled from other towns to be there to protect them.

One man travelled from Leeds, and told Sky News: ‘We don’t want this. This is our country just as much as it is theirs. Muslims are not bad. Our religion is not bad. We’re good people.’

It is thought an account created on X, formerly Twitter, is responsible for the Huddersfield claims. 

The account was created in May this year and only began posting yesterday, suggesting there would be a ‘riot on Monday In Hudderfield (sic) at 1 pm at the Townhall’. It has not posted since 11am.

Tiny groups of locals are sitting around and a small quiet group of counter-protestors. One holding a sign reading ‘hate will lose’ is sitting on the steps of the railway station entrance.

Oxford University staff received an email warning them to ‘consider alternate routes home’ amid a planned protest ‘linked to recent unrest’.

Hundreds of anti-racism protesters gathered at the Carfax Tower but largely passed without incident, reports the Oxford Mail. 

And in Plymouth, a Stand Up To Racism gathering saw anti-racism campaigners clash with anti-immigration protesters, leading to arrests.

Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘Officers are currently at the scene of the planned demonstrations in Plymouth. 

‘Our officers are well trained to maintain public order and we have suitable resources and plans to deal with any outbreaks of disorder. 

‘Our approach to this operation was to enable peaceful protests, but people who are intent on committing public order or criminal offences, will be dealt with robustly as such behaviours will not be tolerated.’

It later added: ‘We have seen a level of violence towards officers in Plymouth and a police van has been damaged. We are taking action against individuals who are intent on criminality. Arrests are ongoing.’ 

PLYMOUTH: A man yells at counter-protesters as riot police separate the groups to avoid conflict

PLYMOUTH: Police form a barrier separating protesters in the city as tensions simmer

PLYMOUTH: Masked protesters gather in the city centre, separated from others by police

HUDDERSFIELD: A statue of Harold Wilson was surrounded by police after rumours of a riot in Huddersfield 

HUDDERSFIELD: Stores closed in Huddersfield early today fearing violent scenes akin to those seen elsewhere in recent days

HUDDERSFIELD: A sign in another store within Huddersfield. Claims of a ‘riot’ in the town may have been exaggerated

Sky News reporter Becky Johnson was confronted by a gang of masked thugs live on TV 

In Birmingham, masked groups turned out in the area of Alum Rock and Borderley Green, some of whom swore at TV reporters delivering broadcasts. 

Videos from the West Midlands city tonight show large groups of men, some wearing masks and waving Palestine flags, gathering on the centre of a roundabout next to a McDonalds. 

Local councillors turned out, seemingly in support of the community turning out in the area in response to rumours of a far-right protest that spread online last night.

But on Sky News, one masked man rode up on a motorbike to the channel’s presenter Becky Johnson as she delivered a live update.

Surrounded by friends, the biker made a rude gesture at the camera and shouted: ‘Yo, free Palestine, f*** the EDL.’

Later, the correspondent revealed she and her colleagues had been told to leave the area – before a masked man with a knife tried to puncture their van’s tyre with a knife.

She wrote on Sky News: ‘as we attempted to report live from across the street we were approached by a group of men who told us to leave.

‘Older men intervened, reassuring us that we should stay. But as the situation became more hostile, we took a decision to drive away.

‘As we did, a man in a balaclava ran alongside us brandishing a knife. He ran in front of one of our vehicles and began stabbing at the tyre of our broadcast van. It wasn’t damaged, so we were able to continue to drive away.’

Others gathered in Birmingham aggressively drove cars around the roundabout, while videos shared on social media showed men attacking a blue Skoda. Eyewitnesses suggest the driver had made racist comments.

Rumours of riots in Birmingham spread on social media earlier today, and were the subject of discussion in a far-right Telegram group thought to have instigated the initial violence in Southport after three girls were killed last week.

One message, shared on the group at 1.30am today, read: ‘Where’s the meet in alum rock Iv got 50 lads Chelmsley wood ready.’ 

The group is littered with racist language and has shared violent footage of Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant’s killings.

Jess Phillips, Labour MP for the area, claimed on social media that local Muslims had been coaxed out by the rumours. 

‘To be clear all day rumours have been spread that a far right group were coming and it was done entirely to get Muslim people out on the street to drive this content,’ she wrote on X, responding to the Sky News footage.

‘These people came to this location because it has been spread that racists were coming to attack them.’

BIRMINGHAM: Men gesture to the camera as they stand on a roundabout amid rumours of a far-right gathering

Riots spread from Southport across the country last week in horror scenes that have terrified communities

Rioters in Rotherham last night as violent scenes continue to break out following the Southport killings a week ago

Rioters attacked police officers in Rotherham on Sunday as far-right thugs led unrest

Meanwhile, in Stockton-on-Tees, hundreds of Muslims stood guard outside a mosque on Teesside today as similar rumours of a far-right gathering spread online.

Around 400 people gathered at the community-funded Farooq E Azam Mosque and Islamic Centre in Stockton-on-Tees at around 1pm.

The largely peaceful vigil briefly erupted as a white man was arrested by police for disorderly behaviour at the end of Bowesfield Lane, where the mosque stands.

Those protecting the building surged around the police vehicles and cheered as he was driven away.

Rumours that started on Facebook were given credence when the local job centre and a doctor’s surgery closed their doors in anticipation of a repeat of the violence that erupted in neighbouring Middlesbrough 24 hours earlier.

Some members of the crowd were masked, but most stood quietly in groups with their backs to the wall of the mosque, the largest in Teesside.

Volunteer Saeed Bashir, a volunteer who works in the mosque’s education department, said: ‘We began to hear that rumours were circulating on social media and they seemed to be getting taken seriously.

‘Around 1pm people started to arrive and quite quickly there were hundreds outside standing guard.

‘It wasn’t something that was organised, people from the community just wanted to come and help.

‘It is a peaceful situation, no one is here to cause trouble but the mosque really means something here.

‘We are community funded, we’ve received no grants or funding, it is paid for and maintained by the people so no one wants to see any damage.

‘Cleveland police have sent officers down and they’re here to assist if anything happens.’

Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at ‘far-right thuggery’ and warned that he would ‘ramp up criminal justice’ in response to the violence

Councillor Sufi Mubeen of Stockton Council joined the crowds outside the mosque.

He said: ‘This is a peaceful effort from the entire community and we are grateful to the police for their assistance in this.

‘It wasn’t planned, people came here of their own accord because of social media rumours, which we’ve heard for a few days.

‘What made things different today is that the job centre and doctor’s surgery closed their doors.

‘People are understandably anxious that there is no senseless actions against the Muslim community, especially after what happened in Middlesbrough.

‘It is very good to see that there are many members of the white community who have come here in solidarity. 

‘Stockton is a culturally mixed community and it is good to see the support we have from all sides.

‘This is not an aggressive act, people have come here to make sure nothing happens to the centre of our community.’

In Southport, meanwhile, locals have turned out peacefully with balloons, teddies and flowers to remember the victims of the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last Monday.

The vigil saw attendees blow bubbles as others places tributes in front of the Atkinson arts centre – their respect a defiant gesture to the violent thuggery that had seemingly been carried out in response to the killings.

The small town has found itself at the centre of the turmoil engulfing the nation following the horrifying stabbing of children at a Taylor Swift dance event on Monday which led to the death of three girls.

Adam Wharton, 28, of Walton, pleaded guilty to burglary in relation to serious disorder on Saturday night at the Spellow Library and community hub

Gareth Rigby, 43, admitted a single charge of using threatening words or behaviour while Daniel Robinson, 37, admitted possessing a hammer

Hamza Mohammed, 23, a salesman from Bolton, was charged with possessing fireworks

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died following the attack. Axel Rudakubana, 17, has been charged with their murder and the attempted murder of 10 others.

Since the violence began, some alleged rioters have appeared in court.

Curtis Coulson, who is accused of waving a stick ‘in a threatening manner’ towards a woman during a riot in Sheffield, wiped away tears throughout his 20 minute-long appearance in court today. 

The 30-year-old, who denied one charge of affray, became even more upset when he was refused bail and remanded in custody at Sheffield Magistrates Court. He was among at least 25 riot suspects to be hauled before court today. 

Leanne Hodgson, 43, admitted violent disorder after pushing a wheelie bin at police in Sunderland. She was also remanded in custody, as her lawyer told magistrates that she had an ‘alcohol problem’ and suffered from poor mental health. 

Meanwhile, in Liverpool, 28-year-old career criminal Adam Wharton pleaded guilty to burglary in relation to serious disorder on Saturday night at Spellow Library in Walton, which was torched and looted. He said ‘nice one lad’ as he was led down to the cells. 

Sir Keir Starmer last night lashed out at what he branded ‘far-right thuggery’ by those exploiting the Southport killings to loot, hurl fireworks, scrap with police and target mosques.

The PM said: ‘People in this country have a right to be safe and yet we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques, other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, and wanton violence.

‘So no, I won’t shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery.

‘To those who feel targeted because of the colour of your skin or your faith, I know how frightening this must be.

‘I want you to know that this violent mob does not represent our country, and we will bring them to justice.’

He has since promised a ‘standing army’ of specialist police officers is being assembled to crack down on rioting after an emergency Cobra meeting today.

Almost 400 people have been arrested since rioting began last week and suggestions have been made to reintroduce overnight ‘Nightingale courts’ to deal with the additional strain on the justice system.

These temporary courts were introduced in 2011 in response to the riots that followed after the killing of Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police, when Sir Keir Starmer was head of the Crown Prosecution Service.