Right-wing extremist rioters have dominated the headlines in Great Britain for days. The police expected riots again at night – but this time resistance is forming on England’s streets.
Thousands of people have protested against right-wing extremist riots in Great Britain. People took to the streets on Wednesday evening to protest against racism and hatred in several cities across the country, including London, Sheffield, Bristol and Brighton. In Liverpool, several hundred people gathered to protect a center for asylum seekers, reported the British news agency PA.
Right-wing extremist riots have been taking place in Great Britain for more than a week. In recent days, rioters have attacked security forces, accommodation for asylum seekers and mosques. Cars and buildings have been set on fire. Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened to use the full force of the law.
Window fronts protected with boards
The police were prepared for another riot that night and, according to media reports, feared that law firms and advice centers that support asylum seekers with their applications could also be targeted. In some places, for example, window fronts were protected with boards as a precaution.
In the evening, however, it was mainly counter-demonstrators who came together peacefully. On posters and signs, they demanded things like “No Place for Hate” and “Stop the far Right.” In Birmingham, people gathered in front of a counseling center and protested against Islamophobia, for example, PA reported.
King Charles is informed about the situation
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked the police for their efforts, which had deployed thousands of officers. King Charles III is also reportedly kept regularly informed of developments. Investigators had expected around 100 riots across the country, but the number turned out to be fewer than expected.
In Brighton, police had to clear a path for some right-wing extremist demonstrators from the crowd of counter-demonstrators, PA reported. Some shouted “Shame on you”. There were also a few arrests on Wednesday evening.
Law enforcement agencies rely on deterrence
The riots were preceded by a knife attack in the town of Southport. Three girls were killed and other children and two adults were injured on July 29. Rumors spread online that a Muslim migrant was the perpetrator.
The fake news was shared by influential accounts on X and Telegram. Police stress that the suspect is a 17-year-old who was born in the UK to Rwandan parents. The motive is unclear.
Of the more than 400 rioters arrested, around 120 have already been charged. A court in Liverpool sentenced three men to prison terms ranging from 20 months to three years. According to Justice Secretary Heidi Alexander, more than 560 additional places in prisons are to be created from next week.
How a sociologist looks at the riots
Sociologist Aaron Winter from Lancaster University does not explain the riots with the new social democratic Labour government and a protest against a supposedly left-wing progressive movement. Starmer’s party is not left-wing. “They campaigned with flags and ‘small boat’ rhetoric and acted tougher than the Conservatives.” Parties have outdone each other with statements about who is taking tougher action against migration, which leads to a hostile atmosphere.
Winter points out that the previous Conservative government increased inequality in the country with its austerity policies. He criticised Starmer’s recent statements, in which he referred to the rioters as “thugs”. This marginalises the rioters as if they were outside of society. However, the deeper causes are ignored in the face of such an argument, warned Winter.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
