The organiser of a protest that led to far-right rioting has apologised to a mosque worshipper for describing migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats as 'an influx of illegal invaders'.
John Francis, whose demonstration resulted in violent riots across Hull earlier this month, claimed his protest had been planned for 'about three weeks' and aimed to focus on 'illegal immigration'.
Following the Southport attack, which saw three girls killed in a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift themed dance class, Mr Francis decided the demonstration could also serve as a 'vigil to remember the young girls'.
But during a riot the followed the planned protest on August 3, a violent mob attacked a local mosque, throwing stones and other items at the building. They also attacked a migrant hotel and set fire to cars and tyres.
Mr Francis has now met with Amanj Jamil, a worshipper who was inside the mosque during the attack, Sky News reported. He reiterated that 'I don't like racists, I don't want violence, I don't want riots' and admitted that he had not used the 'best choice of words' when promoting the demonstration.
His apology comes as Roger Haywood, the thug who wore a 'Dad number 1' England football shirt as he led an 'angry and intimidating' mob through the streets of Blackpool, was jailed for 30 months after previously pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and violent disorder.
John Francis (right) met with Amanj Jamil, (left) a worshipper who was inside the mosque that was attacked during riots in Hull on August 3. He apologised for describing migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats as 'an influx of illegal invaders' and admitted that he had not used the 'best choice of words' when promoting the demonstration
Mr Francis is pictured in his 'Stop the Boats' t-shirt during the rally in Victoria Square, Hull on August 3. He has claimed his protest had been planned for 'about three weeks' and aimed to focus on 'illegal immigration'
Mr Francis, who has denied being far-right, promoted the demonstration in Victoria Square on social media ahead of the event.
He urged supporters to arrive at the 'Enough is Enough' rally as 'sober as you can be' and pay tribute to the 'little girls who lost their lives at the hands of a scumbag'.
The advertisement, written by Mr Francis for the Hull Patriotic Protesters group, said the protesters were 'fed up' with 'terror attacks on our people in the name of an alien religion to our country'.
He has now admitted that encouraging people to protest against the 'influx of illegal invaders' was not the 'best' use of language.
'When I set that group up there was a lot of stuff coming out from parliament about an 'invasion',' he said. 'I forget the politicians that were saying that, everyone was calling it an invasion. On reflection now, I don't think it's the best choice of words.'
He went on the argue that he does not support racism, saying: 'Every single one of my posts, I always say "black, brown and white unite", yeah, I don't like racists. I don't like Nazis, I don't want violence, I don't want riots. I always say that.'
But Mr Jamil said that regardless of his intentions, Mr Francis's social media posts 'kind of trigger things for other people' and that some violent individuals would interpret the messages as a call saying 'let's go attack them'.
Mr Francis, who has denied being far-right, told Mr Jamil that he does not support racism, saying: 'Every single one of my posts, I always say "black, brown and white unite", yeah, I don't like racists. I don't like Nazis, I don't want violence, I don't want riots. I always say that.'
Mr Francis promoted the demonstration in Victoria Square on social media ahead of the event. He urged supporters to arrive at the 'Enough is Enough' rally (advert pictured) as 'sober as you can be' and pay tribute to the 'little girls who lost their lives at the hands of a scumbag'
He also told Mr Francis that in wake of the rioting 'I still feel uncomfortable going to town, going to shopping centres, going to public places.'
Mr Francis, seemingly trying to offer a justification for his demonstration, added that the public is 'being told' that 'people coming over on these boats' are being 'rewarded', housed in four-star hotels and provided with food and clothing.
'They don't get a free ride… The food and the place that has been provided is not the way you think it's been,' Mr Jamil challenged. 'Believe me, they are struggling.'
Mr Jamil also asked him if he knew the suspect charged in the Southport murders was born born in Wales, to which Mr Francis responded: 'I never jumped on any of that.'
Police and prosecutors are swiftly responding to the widespread violent disorder which followed the July 29 Southport killings.
Two men on Friday received the longest jail sentences yet over the riots, as prosecutors charged another man with the more serious offence of rioting and said further charges were likely to follow.
A riot followed Mr Francis's planned protest on August 3. A violent mob attacked a local mosque, throwing stones and other items at the building. Pictured is a man who suffered an apparent head injury during the attack
Rioters in Hull also also attacked a migrant hotel and set fire to cars and tyres. Pictured are enflamed items during the August 3 disorder
Roger Haywood, 41, of Yew Tree Close, Blackpool was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Friday after previously pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and violent disorder on August 3.
Haywood, donning an England football shirt, encouraged a group of people to follow him to various locations around Blackpool, including the Cenotaph, the Tower and the comedy carpet.
He was on the streets of Blackpool ready to cause violence and disorder on a sunny Saturday in the school holidays, the court heard.
Haywood's involvement in the disorder included attempting to pull the shutters up of a store in the Hounds Hill centre and assaulting a member of the security team.
Judge Robert Altham, the Recorder of Preston, told Haywood on Friday: 'One cannot begin to imagine the grief and the despair suffered by the families of those young children killed and, indeed, injured.
'People from all communities who make up the British public offered solidarity by either laying flowers, standing in peaceful condolence or by silently and respectfully holding the bereaved families in their hearts and in their prayers.
'Whereas others, such as you, decided to usurp this terrible incident as an excuse for mindless drunken thuggery.'
Roger Haywood is pictured during the disorder in Blackpool on August 3, 2024
Serious disorder which had already erupted that week meant everyone knew that 'so-called demonstrations were pretext for violence and expressions of hate and there was no political or ideological basis for taking to the streets', the judge said.
Haywood was part of an angry group which confronted police in a shopping area.
The judge said: 'You repeatedly approached the police line, jabbing a finger at them and ignoring their many requests to move away.
'Next you were seen leading a large group down the promenade, some had flags and some had their faces covered.
'You were at the front with your hands above your head to beckon them on. You were clearly in the lead.
'You led this large group into a pedestrianised shopping area where there were families with young children.'
Haywood was seen at the forefront of 'an ugly and intimidating scene' alongside a man who pushed a sign over, another person who was carrying a chair and hit out at rope barrier as another kicked at it, the court heard.
He was also seen trying to push headfirst through a police line to get to a group that was on the other side. He had to be pushed back twice by police.
His mob went into an indoor shopping centre as 'brave security staff who were vastly outnumbered' accompanied the group to try and protect shoppers and staff, as people tried to get out of the way.
Roger Haywood stands in front of police during the disorder in Blackpool on August 3
Roger Haywood stands in front of a line of police during the violent riots in Blackpool on Aug. 3
The judge said Haywood tried to stop the shutters going down at JD Sports and others joined in the attack as he was pushed away but a chair was thrown towards security officers.
A security officer suffered a 'terrifying experience' as he was pushed against the shutters and repeatedly punched and hit in the face.
Police stopped a chanting Haywood from getting to the Cenotaph but he told them they were 'outnumbered ten to one', which was an 'unmistakable threat to them', the judge said.
He told Haywood that what he did next was 'unforgivably dangerous' as he turned away from the officers to face the shouting mob behind him, who were a significant distance from the police lines.
The judge said: 'You shouted to them to the effect that the police would not let you through and then with your arms you beckoned them on to breach the police lines.
'The crowd moved forward in response and we hear the shout of missiles as at least one item was thrown at the police. Your aim was clear, you wanted to create a serious, violent and dangerous incident.'
Haywood also took a loud hailer and tried to continue to try too lead the mob but was 'too intoxicated' to work out how to use it.
He refused to get into the police van when arrested and kicked out at two officers, who were not seriously hurt.
The judge added: 'Assaults on police officers in any circumstances are unacceptable, in these circumstances they were particularly serious.'
David Wilkinson, 48, (left) was jailed for six years for a number of offences including racially aggravated criminal damage and violent disorder in Hull on August 3. John Honey, 25, (right) was jailed for 56 months for violent disorder and burglary
John Honey (left) attacked a BMW carrying frightened passengers in Hull on August 3
David Wilkinson, 48, was also sentenced on Friday. A judge jailed him for six years for a number of offences including racially aggravated criminal damage and violent disorder in Hull on August 3.
Judge John Thackray said Wilkinson had played a leading role in what he described as '12 hours of racist, hate-fuelled mob violence', kicking out and throwing missiles at officers, spitting at them and trying to start a fire.
Another man John Honey, 25, was jailed for 56 months for violent disorder and burglary. Honey was repeatedly seen on film footage of the Hull riot because he had worn a distinctive shirt with the England flag.
He was shown in the footage looting shops and being part of a group which, along with Wilkinson, attacked a car carrying three Romanian men and had tried to drag them from the vehicle.
'You ... were intending to create a high risk of injury to persons because you were doing your best to assist others in exposing the occupants to the wrath of the baying mob,' Thackray told them.
The sentences are the longest imposed after days of rioting involving violence, arson and looting as well as racist attacks the previous longest being three years and four months.
Flames rise as riots erupt in Hull, Yorkshire on August 3, 2024
Riot police stand guard outside a damaged O2 shop in Hull, Yorkshire on August 3, 2024
A burnt out and damaged cars are seen outside Humberside Carpets on August 4, following violent riots in Hull the day before
Britain's Crown Prosecution Service on Friday charged a 32-year-old man with the offence of riot, having charged a 15-year-old boy with riot on Thursday.
Riot is a more serious charge than violent disorder and carries a maximum jail term of 10 years.
Gale Gilchrist, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North East, said the 32-year-old was 'one of a number of individuals who we expect will be charged with riot'.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said in its latest update on Friday that, since the trouble that followed the Southport murders, police had a made a total of 1,117 arrests.
