It was a shameful episode in the history of Manchester. A violent mob, whipped up by a campaign of online disinformation, targeting vulnerable people seeking sanctuary.
Missiles including bottles, bricks and eggs were launched at a hotel in Newton Heath. ‘Protestors’ shouted and swore at asylum seekers who had to be escorted inside the building for their own safety.
They congregated after false information about the identity and background of the man accused of killing three children in Southport was spread online.
A Facebook post urging people to congregate on Oldham Road began to gain momentum on July 31. “Let’s get them out,” it read. “6pm today.
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