Cambridge University “will resist every attempt” at division in the face of far-right riots across the country, its leadership has said.

Staff and students have been urged to “look out for each other more than usual,” and “to offer support and friendship” in the face of the riots. “At Cambridge, we are one community and will resist every attempt to polarise us along racial or religious lines,” a University statement, published yesterday (07/08), said.

The message, authored by pro-vice-chancellors Kamal Munir and Bhaskar Vira, condemned the recent far-right violence, labelling it “dreadful thuggery, racism and Islamophobia”.

This sentiment echoes Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who earlier this week described the outbreak in violence as “far-right thuggery”.

The statement also outlined support offered by the University, including its Student Support Service and Harassment and Violence Support Service.

The Students’ Union also issued a statement on the recent riots, written by BME officer Maroof Rafique, who stated that he was “deeply saddened and outraged by the recent surge of Islamophobic, racist, and xenophobic riots, as well as far-right terrorism across the UK”.

The riots began following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport, England. Following the attacks, false information circulated on social media which claimed that the suspect was a Muslim migrant, leading to riots in Southport the next day and an attempt to storm the town’s mosque.

At least twenty places across Britain have been affected by riots, which saw the purposeful targeting of persons of colour and Muslim individuals. Multiple shops, including Asian and African-owned businesses, were also vandalised and looted.

Lord Simon Woolley, principal of Homerton College, spoke about the riots in an interview with ITV, calling them “gross exploitation of an utter tragedy”.

“We should be putting an arm around Southport and the families that have had this tragedy, losing loved ones, many more, many more injured. Instead, we’re talking about terrorism on our streets,” he said.

“When you plan an arson with people living above, that is an act of terrorism,” Lord Woolley added, referring to scenes in Rotherham, where a bin fire was started outside a hotel which has been used to host asylum seekers.

Woolley’s condemnation of the riots was echoed in an email sent to Homerton students earlier today, where he and Professor Kamal Munir wrote: “At Homerton College and within the broader University of Cambridge, we stand firmly against any form of discrimination and bigotry.”

Almost 500 arrests have been made in connection with disorder following the Southport stabbings. Yesterday, planned far-right riots largely failed to materialise, while huge numbers gathered for anti-racist demonstrations.