Rioters battled police in the streets of Sunderland city centre following a planned protest linked to the Southport knife attack on Friday 2 August. Hundreds of people gathered in Keel Square, many of them draped in England flags, at around 7pm. Members of the crowd chanted in support of Tommy Robinson, while others shouted insults about Islam. Mounted police followed the march, along with officers in vans who battled their way through traffic to keep up. Some protesters descended into violence, setting an overturned car on fire, while others targeted a mosque.