- Relief in England after no riots
It was expected that new far-right protests and possibly riots would occur at dozens of locations across England on Wednesday evening. However, instead, thousands of people took to the streets against hate and violence. Far-right individuals were scarcely seen. The relief is palpable nationwide.
"The night anti-hate protesters stood up to the thugs" headlined the conservative tabloid "Daily Mail", "Thousands take to the streets to stand against the threat from the right" read the front page of "The Guardian".
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley described the evening as "very successful" and praised the engagement of the peaceful counter-protests. "We had thousands of officers on the streets and I think the display of strength and quite frankly, the demonstration of unity, has overcome the challenges together," Rowley told the BBC.
Organization: 25,000 people took to the streets against violence
According to the organization Stand Up to Racism, around 25,000 people gathered across the country to protest against far-right violence, including many in the London borough of Walthamstow, in the east of London, as well as in the cities of Bristol, Brighton, Liverpool, and Sheffield.
Far-right riots in several cities across England and Northern Ireland had previously kept the country on edge for days. There were attacks on security forces, asylum seeker accommodations, and mosques and businesses. Bricks, fence posts, and other projectiles were thrown. Cars and buildings were set on fire. Dozens of officers were injured.
The government had announced that the troublemakers would feel the full force of the law. More than 400 people were arrested, with over 100 already charged. In some cases, sentences of multiple years in prison have been handed down.
Police Minister Diana Johnson was not yet ready to give the all-clear despite the encouraging developments. While it's good that the violence and crime of the past days has not been repeated, she told the news channel Sky News, there are announcements for further far-right protests.
The anticipated riots from the far-right group were notably absent during the protests, as instead, thousands of people demonstrated against hate and violence. Despite the absence of far-right individuals, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley deemed the evening a "very successful" operation.
