Thousands Stand Against Right-Wing Extremists
For over a week, far-right extremists have been wreaking havoc in British cities, threatening asylum seekers, attacking mosques, and looting shops. The police prepared for further unrest for the night, but resistance is forming on England's streets.
Thousands of people have protested against far-right violence in the UK. Demonstrators took to the streets in several cities across the country, including London, Sheffield, Bristol, and Brighton, to stand against racism and hate. In Liverpool, hundreds gathered to protect an asylum seeker center, according to the British news agency PA.
The UK has seen over a week of far-right riots. Vandals have attacked security forces, asylum seeker accommodations, and mosques in recent days. Cars and buildings have been set on fire. The police expected more trouble for the night and deployed 6000 officers in specialist units. Law firms and advice centers supporting asylum seekers were feared to be targeted, with some places boarding up windows as a precaution.
However, the evening saw mostly peaceful counter-protesters gathering. Placards and signs demanded "No Place for Hate" and "Stop the far Right". In London, chants of "Whose streets? Our streets" rang out. In Birmingham, people gathered outside an advice center to protest against Islamophobia, PA reported.
Swift Charges After Arrests
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked the police for their efforts. King Charles III is also regularly briefed on developments. Investigators expected around 100 incidents of rioting nationwide, but the actual number was lower than anticipated. In Brighton, police had to escort some far-right protesters out of the crowd of counter-protesters, with some shouting "Shame on you", PA reported. Arrests were also made on Wednesday evening.
The riots followed a stabbing incident in the town of Southport. On July 29, three girls were killed, and several children and two adults were injured. False rumors spread online that a Muslim migrant was the attacker. Influential accounts on X and Telegram shared these misinformation. The police clarified that the suspect is a 17-year-old born in the UK to Rwandan parents, and the motive is unknown.
Out of the over 400 arrested rioters, around 120 have been charged. A court in Liverpool sentenced three men to jail terms of 20 months to three years. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander announced that more than 560 additional prison places will be created from next week.
Sociologist: Labour's Course Plays No Role
Sociologist Aaron Winter from Lancaster University attributes the riots not to the new centre-left Labour government and a protest against a perceived progressive movement. Starmer's party is not left-wing, he says. "They campaigned with flags and 'small boat' rhetoric and positioned themselves harder than the Conservatives." Parties have outdone each other with statements on who is tougher on migration, creating a hostile atmosphere.
Winter points out that the previous conservative government, with its austerity policies, has increased inequality in the country. He criticized Starmer's recent remarks, in which he referred to the rioters as "thugs," effectively marginalizing them and portraying them as outside of society. Winter warns that this approach overlooks the underlying causes.
The United Kingdom's government and law enforcement are actively addressing the ongoing riots, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper praising the police's efforts and King Charles III being regularly briefed on the situation.
Despite the riots, numerous peaceful protests against far-right violence have taken place throughout the UK, showing a strong opposition to hate and racism in various cities such as London, Liverpool, and Birmingham.
