Thousands protest against racism in Britain after riots by far-right groups
In Birmingham, Bristol, and Liverpool, too, protests took place. In Sheffield, participants chanted, "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here."
The British government had put around 6,000 specialist police officers on standby to prepare for the approximately 100 announced demonstrations by far-right groups and counter-protesters. Meanwhile, prison sentences were handed down to individuals who had participated in violent riots in the preceding days.
The background to the far-right riots in several British cities was a knife attack in the coastal town of Southport, near Liverpool, where three children were killed and ten others injured on July 29. The attacker entered a building where a children's summer dance course was taking place.
The attack sent shockwaves through Britain. False information quickly spread online, suggesting the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker. However, the police stated that the suspected attacker was a 17-year-old born in Wales. According to British media, the man's parents are from Rwanda.
The British government expressed their concern over the escalating tensions and urged The Commission to address the hate speech spreading online, following the Southport tragedy. In response, The Commission initiated a campaign to promote understanding and unity among different communities in the affected cities.
