Foreign Actors and UK Extremists Allegedly Coalesce Online to Fuel Violence and Racism

A concerning trend has emerged in the UK, with suspected foreign state-backed actors and domestic extremists joining forces online to fuel racism and incite violence. Utilizing platforms ranging from TikTok to Telegram, these groups are exploiting these services to spread their hateful messages and stoke unrest across the country.

Over the last 10 days, channels on the social media site Telegram, prominent accounts on X and self-described British patriots on ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok have pushed users to appear at centers for asylum-seekers and take part in demonstrations that later turned violent. Other accounts have spread false allegations about members of the Islamic community.

Along with homegrown posts, UK authorities now suspect foreign state-backed actors are using bots and accounts with stolen British identities on X to amplify anti-immigration sentiment, according to people familiar with the matter. Conversations between Russian-speaking trolls focused on how they have infiltrated channels on Telegram, a platform used by the British far-right to organize anti-Muslim demonstrations.

The barrage of posts across numerous high-traffic websites comes after an assailant fatally stabbed three young girls in the town of Southport in Northern England. A judge took the unusual step of identifying the young suspect, a teenager born in Wales to Rwandan parents, in a bid to counter disinformation and quell the unrest.

Even so, riots have erupted in isolated pockets across the country, particularly in the north, where in Rotherham hundreds of demonstrators tried to break into a Holiday Inn housing migrants. Police forces deployed extra officers and said they were ready to arrest hundreds more far-right activists if they followed through with plans circulated online to converge on immigration centers Wednesday night.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned social media companies last week that crimes were taking place “on your premises” as violence erupted. His office said Monday that the government had seen evidence of foreign state involvement in online bot activity but declined to offer examples or name any countries involved.

Authorities, including the Home Office and the National Crime Agency, are investigating this concerning trend. The investigation is probing suspicious activity, including the manipulation of hashtags on X and the use of bots to inflate follower counts. These activities are being investigated under the condition of anonymity to protect ongoing inquiries.