Thousands of people gathered across England to counter anti-immigration protests after a week of riots, reports BBC. In cities like London, Bristol, and Newcastle, the crowds were peaceful, chanting “refugees are welcome here.”
Police had prepared for more violence, with thousands of officers on duty. However, only a few arrests were made during the largely peaceful demonstrations. This calm may be due to previous arrests and jail sentences for those involved in the riots.
The riots began because of false information online, claiming the suspect in the stabbing of three girls in Southport was a Muslim asylum seeker. During the riots, mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked, and shops were looted and burned.
On Wednesday, shop owners boarded up windows and closed early, fearing more violence. Immigration lawyers were told to work from home as their offices were listed as possible targets in online chat groups.
In Walthamstow, London, thousands chanted “Whose streets? Our streets” and “refugees are welcome here.” In Bristol, about 1,500 counter-protesters, including trade unionists and members of the black and Asian community, filled the streets. In Newcastle, around 1,000 counter-protesters, mostly Muslims, gathered at the Beacon Centre.
According to BBC, the local imam in Newcastle said they were initially scared to come out but felt reassured by the large, supportive crowd. Most people left by 9:30 PM after achieving their goal of reclaiming the streets.
In Liverpool, hundreds gathered outside an asylum services office. In Brighton, eight anti-immigration protesters were surrounded by 2,000 counter-protesters and police. In Southampton, 300 to 400 people chanted “racists go home” while police kept a small group of anti-immigration protesters apart.
A brief scuffle was reported in Aldershot, and one arrest was made in Portsmouth, where 200 anti-immigration protesters disrupted traffic. In Tamworth, 30 to 40 people protested peacefully near a hotel that had been attacked earlier.
In Croydon, disorder unrelated to protests occurred, with people throwing objects at officers, resulting in eight arrests. Fires and attacks on police were also reported in Belfast.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited a hotel in Rotherham that was attacked by rioters, stating that those involved would face legal consequences. She emphasized that violence is not a legitimate way to express concerns about immigration, according to BBC.
Riot police are expected to remain on standby, and King Charles is being updated daily about the situation. However, he is not expected to visit the affected areas soon.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxlgwl28gyo