Rioters in Sunderland ‘tried to smash gravestones for missiles to throw at police’

A priest at Sunderland Minister has said yobs who tried to smash a gravestone to use as missiles during rioting in the city have committed ‘an act of sacrilege’.

The Reverend Jacqui Tyson said a colleague reported seeing youths were in the graveyard of the minster, which was close to where a car was overturned and set on fire, and where police were attacked with fire extinguishers.

Follow our ongoing coverage of the Southport attacks here

She said: ‘They were trying to break up one of the graves in the minster.

‘My colleague and his friend saw them and chased them off. They then locked the gates so no-one else could access the graveyard.

‘It’s an act of sacrilege to disturb someone’s gravestone. It’s also remarkably lacking in common sense – have you tried to pick up a gravestone?’

The far right has drawn condemnation from MPs across the political spectrum after disorder in London, Manchester, Southport and Hartlepool over the past three days.

On Friday, hundreds of people gathered in Keel Square, many of them draped in England flags, some of whom chanted support of Tommy Robinson, while others shouted insults about Islam.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show a fire at a city centre police office, which was marked permanently closed on Google Maps and was no longer listed on a police station finder on Northumbria Police’s website.

A mosque was targeted and separate footage on social media, said to have also been filmed in Sunderland, appeared to show a ­man with a swastika tattoo on his back.

Officers from Northumbria Police were ‘subjected to serious violence’ and three were taken to hospital, the force said later.

A GoFundMe appeal has since been set up for the police office, which has raised more than £3,600 of its £2,000 target.

Brett Redmayne, 43, saw the aftermath of the violence on Saturday.

He said: ‘These people who rioted don’t speak for Sunderland and we are ashamed and embarrassed. This morning, though, we all wanted to show support and help clean the city.

‘I saw smashed windows and glass, but the council had worked hard as well through the night to clean a lot up, credit has to go to Sunderland Council.’

Rev Tyson said the community had come together for the clean-up operation, with local Imams and other clergy involved on Saturday morning.

She said there will be a prayer vigil later on Saturday and a peace walk through the city on Sunday afternoon.

She said: ‘There is a lot of shock and anger, so hundreds of people came together to clean up the city.

‘Everybody involved was not just cleaning up, but also talking to each other and expressing good faith and belief in Sunderland, and the fact that racism will not win.’

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