LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held an urgent meeting with ministers and top law enforcement officials on Monday as he seeks to end days of street violence and attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers, which he has described as thuggery.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, centre, arrives at Downing Street, where Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee following ongoing unrest across parts of the country, in London, Monday Aug. 5, 2024. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)

Lawlessness has swept the country over the past six days as right-wing activists used social media to spread misinformation to whip up anger over a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left three girls dead and many more wounded. False rumors spread online that the suspect was a Muslim and an immigrant, leading to attacks on immigrants and Muslims.

On Sunday, angry mobs attacked two hotels used to house asylum seekers, breaking windows and lighting fires before police dispersed the crowds and residents were evacuated. During Monday’s meeting of the government’s emergency response committee, known as Cobra, police chiefs and government ministers were expected to develop a response to ensure there is no repeat of the violence.

“As Keir said, as every decent person has said, I think these are far-right thugs who attacked some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and there is absolutely no excuse,” Oliver Coppard, the mayor of South Yorkshire, told the BBC. “There can never be any excuse for trying to burn to death 200 of the most vulnerable people in our community.”

The Home Office, which is responsible for law and order, has offered mosques greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.