Thousands in the UK Protest Against Far-Right Violence
In response to continuous far-right riots, thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in various UK cities.
For several nights, cities across England and Northern Ireland witnessed violent riots targeting mosques and migrant residences. These events were fueled by unfounded rumors surrounding the murder of three young girls in late July.
On the evening of August 7th, larger crowds of anti-racism and anti-fascist demonstrators organized marches in major cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
Chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!” thousands gathered in Walthamstow, northeast London. Among them, Sara Tresilian, 58, voiced her frustration: “I live in this area and we don’t want these troublemakers on our streets anymore. They don’t represent us. We must stand up for our friends and neighbors.”
Andy Valentine, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, thanked the community for showing solidarity throughout the capital.
In Sheffield, activists chanted, “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.” Meanwhile, in Birmingham, hundreds rallied outside a migrant support center, and around 2,000 people marched peacefully in Brighton.
In Aldershot, southern England, police intervened as anti-racism protesters clashed with far-right supporters shouting “Stop the boats.”
The government deployed 6,000 police officers to manage around 100 protests from both far-right groups and anti-racism activists. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed gratitude to the police force for protecting and supporting local communities.
Violence erupted after five girls were injured and three, aged 9, 7, and 6, were fatally stabbed during a dance class in Southport on July 29th. False information about the suspect, allegedly a Muslim refugee, spread on social media. However, police identified the suspect as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales.
Protesters threw bricks, flares at police, set cars on fire, and attacked mosques and asylum seeker accommodations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that those inciting violence, including online, would face “the full force of the law.”
Authorities believe the current chaos involves former members of the English Defence League (EDL), a far-right, anti-Islam group linked to football hooliganism. Over a week of disorder has resulted in nearly 430 arrests and at least 120 prosecutions, with some countries advising caution for their citizens traveling to the UK.
