Anti-immigration protests reignited as Afghan man charged over dog walker death

 A protest is set to take place outside of 10 Downing Street after an Afghan migrant was arrested and charged following a triple stabbing in which a dog walker died.

Footage of the frenzied attack has been widely shared on X, Elon Musk’s social media platform, including by prominent members of the far right and nationalists. Musk has led calls for action in response to the attack.

Wayne Broadhurst, 49, has been named locally as the man killed. Another man, 45, was seriously injured, and a 14-year-old boy sustained non-life threatening stab wounds, according to the police.

The 22-year-old, later named as Safi Dawood, was tasered and has since been charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and possession of an offensive weapon following the triple stabbing.

The Home Office confirmed the suspect entered the UK in a lorry in November 2020, was granted asylum and leave to remain in 2022, and does not live in Home Office accommodation.

He was taken to hospital as a precaution but was later taken into police custody, the Metropolitan Police said.

In a series of posts after the arrest, tech billionaire Musk said: “The flames of justice calling to the people have been lit and will burn brighter every day.” He added: “Civil war in Britain is inevitable.”

Musk also shared posts made by far-right leader Tommy Robinson, including one featuring the graphic footage with the caption: “We are under attack across the land.” The video post by Robinson – real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – has been seen by 3.4 million people, and Musk’s reshare generated a further 4.4 million views.

Last month, the Metropolitan Police was forced to counter misinformation amplified by X users that had been created by Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot on Musk’s platform. He has also faced criticism from ministers and MPs over comments related to a rally in September organised by Robinson.

While Musk and Robinson do not appear to have backed today’s protest, X posts calling for people to demonstrate in the heart of Westminster are spreading widely.

One woman, using the username “MissusKent” on social media, appears to be the organiser of the protest and recorded a video on TikTok.

“Today I’ve called an emergency protest outside of Downing Street because a man called Wayne Broadhurst lost his life yesterday all because he decided to take his dog for a walk,” she said.

Making reference to the man arrested having been granted asylum in the UK, she added: “We will be holding this Government accountable for this today because it is them that has the blood on their hands… They know exactly what they are letting into our country.”

The attack has prompted a surge in xenophobic abuse on social media and among far-right groups. One email sent by the nationalist political party Britain First, seen by The i Paper, used the stabbing to push for donations and encourage people to join as members.

“Multiculturalism has failed, bringing only chaos and death,” the email stated, alongside multiple images of random ethnic minorities, including those wearing non-Western clothes.

“Your support is crucial in this fight for our homeland,” it added.

Police have urged people to stop sharing videos on social media that show the moments leading up to the fatal stabbing, out of respect for the victim’s family, and to avoid jeopardising any criminal case.

“Our priority is securing justice for the man who sadly died and the others who were injured during this incident,” the Met said. “Sharing this footage could impede future court proceedings and cause further distress to those directly impacted by these events, as well as their loved ones.”

The attack is not being treated as terrorism and police are investigating whether the suspect knew the victims, the force said.