Is it safe to travel to UK right now? More countries issue warnings amid far-right riots

Several countries have issued safety warnings to their citizens in the UK due to ongoing anti-immigration protests and riots.

Nigeria, Malaysia, Kenya, Australia, Sweden, Indonesia, the UAE, India and Hong Kong have all sent out alerts, advising their nationals living in or visiting the UK to stay away from demonstrations.

Hong Kong has become the latest of nine countries to issue a warning to citizens travelling to the UK following days of violent riots.

The HK government’s Security Bureau issued a warning saying: “Since late July 2024, protests and riots occurred across the United Kingdom, resulting in violent clashes.”

Hong Kong residents “who intend to visit the country or are already there should monitor the situation, exercise caution, attend to personal safety, avoid large gatherings of people and pay attention to local announcements,” the advice says.

Earlier, officials at the High Commission of India in London said they were “closely monitoring” the situation as they advised visitors from India to “stay vigilant and exercise due caution while travelling in the UK”.

Australia issued a similar warning and advised travellers to “avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence” as it urged people to “monitor the media for information and updates”.

Follow our live coverage of riots across the UK.

A post on the Embassy of Sweden website on 6 August told Swedes in Great Britain: “Since the beginning of August, riots have taken place in several British cities, motivated by xenophobia. It is strongly recommended to avoid large crowds.”

The UAE embassy in the UK also urged citizens to “exercise the highest level of caution” and “take the necessary precautions” in light of the unstable security situation.

Elsewhere, Kenya’s High Commission in London warned Kenyans residing in the UK on Twitter/X to “stay away from the protest areas” and “remain vigilant”.

A travel alert by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based in the capital Abuja, also stated that there is “an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK”, noting that “the violence has assumed dangerous proportions”.

It went on: “Demonstrations by far right and other extra-parliamentary groups in parts of the UK in recent weeks have been large, and in some instances unruly.”

The High Commission of Malaysia in London posted a message online on Sunday which read: “Malaysians residing in or travelling to the United Kingdom are urged to stay away from protest areas, remain vigilant and follow the latest updates and guidance provided by local authorities.”

It also “strongly encouraged” people to register with it to “receive timely information and assistance”.

The Indonesian embassy in London also issued a warning, advising its citizens in the UK to avoid large crowds and increase their vigilance.

Violence has broken out in several towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland following the killing of three young girls at a dance class in Southport last week (29 July).

Almost 500 people have been arrested after far-right riots rocked Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester, Hull, Belfast, Stoke and other cities across the UK this week.

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