Thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in several English cities on Wednesday, countering days of far-right violence that have kept UK police on high alert.
Nightly riots, which have included attacks on mosques and migrant-related facilities, have erupted across towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland. The unrest was fueled by misinformation surrounding the murder of three children on July 29.
On Wednesday evening, anti-racism and anti-fascist counter-protesters held rallies in cities across England, including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
“Whose streets? Our streets!” chanted protesters at a gathering in Walthamstow, northeast London, where some held banners saying “Stop the far right”.
“I live in the borough and we don’t want these people on our streets […] they don’t represent us,” said Sara Tresilian, 58, referring to the far-right. “You have to turn out (and) give that message […] I think it’s important that you show up for your friends and neighbours.”
Andy Valentine, the Met Police’s deputy assistant commissioner, thanked “communities for coming together across the capital and for showing community spirit this evening”.
In Sheffield, activists chanted “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here,” as riot police looked on.
In Birmingham, hundreds of anti-racism protesters gathered outside a migrant support center, while in Brighton, around 2,000 people took part in a peaceful demonstration, according to police.
There was some tension in the southern town of Aldershot, where police had to intervene between anti-racism activists and a group of people shouting “Stop the boats” — a reference to migrants crossing the English Channel to reach Britain.
The government had placed 6,000 specialist police on standby to manage the approximately 100 demonstrations by far-right activists and counter-protesters.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked “all the police officers working tonight to protect & support local communities” in a social media post.
Courts and Consequences
Courts have begun issuing jail terms for offenders involved in the unrest as authorities attempt to prevent further violence.
The disorder, Britain’s worst since the 2011 London riots, has resulted in almost 430 arrests and at least 120 charges. Several countries have issued travel warnings for the UK due to the ongoing violence.
The riots began after three girls, aged nine, seven, and six, were killed, and five more children were critically injured during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England.
Initial false rumors on social media suggested the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker. The suspect was later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales, with parents from Rwanda.
Following the incident, demonstrators have thrown bricks and flares at police officers, burned cars, and attacked mosques and at least two hotels housing asylum seekers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that anyone involved would face “the full force of the law”, including those inciting violence online. Starmer, a former chief state prosecutor, promised “substantive sentencing before the end of this week” for rioters and announced the allocation of an additional 500 prison places.
Scores of accused, including teenagers, have already appeared before judges. On Wednesday, a man was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to violent disorder and assaulting a police officer in Southport.
Two other men received sentences of 20 months and 30 months for participating in violence in Liverpool on Saturday.
“The three men sentenced today are the tip of the iceberg, and just the start of what will be a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to involve themselves in violent unrest,” said prosecutor Jonathan Egan.
Far-Right Group Implicated
Police have attributed the disorder to figures associated with the now-defunct English Defence League (EDL), a far-right Islamophobic organization whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism.
EDL founder Tommy Robinson has been accused of stoking tensions. Police in Cyprus, where Robinson was reported to be on holiday, said they were ready to assist UK police if needed. However, Robinson later wrote on social media, “Lucky I’m not in Cyprus then”.
The rallies have been promoted on far-right social media channels under the banner “Enough is enough”.
UK lawmakers have accused social media sites of fueling the violence. Tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk, in particular, has angered the government with a series of provocative tweets, including one stating that a British “civil war is inevitable”.
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