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UK: Huge anti-racism protests 'defeat' violent unrest

August 8, 2024

Thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in major UK cities like London, Liverpool, and Birmingham. They rally against far-right anti-immigration protests, advocating for more immigrant and refugee rights.

https://p.dw.com/p/4jDib
Counter protestors gather in Liverpool on August 7
Hundreds of people gathered outside an asylum center in Liverpool to defend it from a planned far-right rallyImage: Jon Super/AP/picture alliance

A "show of unity" from the public helped helped thwart widespread riots across the UK, police said on Thursday.

Thousands of anti-racism demonstrators filled the streets of London and other cities on Wednesday to rally against a call for more anti-immigrant marches by far-right groups in the UK that have rioted in recent days.

"The show of force from the police and, frankly, the show of unity from communities together defeated the challenges that we faced," Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, said on Thursday.

"It went off very peacefully last night, and the fears of extreme right disorder were abated."

Thousands of police officers were deployed to the British capital, London. In addition, around 1,300 specialist forces were on standby in case of serious trouble in London.

By Wednesday evening, anti-racism protesters filled the streets with messages welcoming immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.

There were also large and peaceful protests in the cities of Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool and Bristol, among others.

'Refugees welcome' and 'London against racism'

People banged drums and chanted "refugees welcome" and "London against racism" in London.

Police officers stand guard during a demonstration against a planned anti-immigration protest in Finchley, London, United Kingdom, on August 07, 2024
Counter-protesters have turned out in far bigger numbers than anti-immigrant protestersImage: Aysu Bicer/Anadolu/picture alliance

Outside an immigration center in the Walthamstow area of east London, which saw a large gathering, a counter-protest leader shouted, "fascists gone" to which a crowd of hundreds responded: "off our streets."

Others held signs saying, "Stop the far right," "Migration is not a crime" and "Finchley against fascism."

Far-right riots have unsettled UK's Muslim communitiy but they have come out to demonstrate against hate
Far-right riots have unsettled UK's Muslim communitiy but they have come out to demonstrate against hateImage: Burak Bir/Anadolu/picture alliance

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described the previous disturbances as "far-right thuggery," rejecting suggestions that the riots are about the government's immigration policies. 

Tensions high in London following clashes, arrests last week

Tensions were especially high in London after officers clashed with protesters during a demonstration last week. The disorder led to more than 100 arrests.

Hundreds more were arrested in other places in the UK following unrest in Liverpool, Bristol and the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast.

The head of London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday officers were focused on protecting immigration lawyers and services. 

UK sees worst unrest in recent years

The UK saw some of the worst social unrest in years over the past week after misinformation spread about the suspect in the knife attack who killed three girls in northwestern England.

Social media users falsely identified the suspect as an immigrant and a Muslim in the deadly attack.

Rioters then shouted anti-immigration slogans, attacked mosques and broke into hotels used to shelter immigrants and asylum-seekers, creating fear in Muslim and immigrant communities. 

zc, rm/sms (Reuters, AP, AFP)