Asians holed up in homes as extremists say they'll be back

TERRIFIED Asian families who wanted a “peaceful life” say they are now too scared to leave their homes after being targeted by far-right rioters.

- LUCY THORNTON, NICK SOMMERLAD and ALEX STOREY

In the last week thugs have attacked police, tried to set fire to a mosque in Southport and a hotel full of asylum seekers in Rotherham.

In Middlesbrough, footage showed thugs had set up “race checkpoints” – only letting drivers through if they were “white and English”.

Police have been on high alert with rumours of more antiimmigration protests in Oldham, Huddersfield and Rhyl in Wales.

The Prime Minister chaired an emergency Cobra meeting yesterday about the disorder which has left police “exhausted”.

It was announced that a “standing army” of specialist officers will now be on alert to tackle mobs after a week of far-right anti-immigrant disorder.

Rioters will be named and shamed, Keir Starmer also said.

News of the riots has been seen overseas with several countries, including Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia, issuing travel alerts to their citizens.

Yesterday, in Middlesbrough, one worried family told how they were even considering moving.

Dilu Barua, 57, her husband, Amar, her son and daughter-in-law and grandchild, all originally from Bangladesh, were left hiding indoors from the terror.