UK braces for unrest, thousands of police on standby
The United Kingdom is on high alert as far-right race riots are anticipated in multiple cities. Activists and law enforcement are bracing for potential violence, with over 100 gatherings reportedly planned for Wednesday. The targets may include migrant support organizations, immigration centers, and other locations associated with immigration advocacy.
Police have already arrested more than 400 people during several days of unrest, and they are preparing for further clashes. Counter-protesters are mobilizing to outnumber and oppose the far-right agitators, a strategy that has seen some success in a few towns and cities.
Stand Up to Racism, one of the leading organizations in the counter-movement, has called on the public to "defend immigration lawyers, refugee charities, and asylum support centers." The group has identified locations that far-right activists are planning to target, based on leaked communications from far-right groups.
Screenshots of a far-right WhatsApp chat, obtained by Al Jazeera, show a list of immigration and refugee centers in at least 10 locations across the UK. The accompanying message reads: "No more immigration. 8pm. Mask up."
Hope not Hate, another anti-racism organization, warned that in addition to the pre-advertised events, there could be spontaneous outbreaks of violence in towns and cities across the UK. The current tensions have left Muslims, migrants, refugees, and ethnic minority groups feeling vulnerable and threatened.
Hashem, a 30-year-old resident of Liverpool, plans to join a counter-protest to protect an asylum center in the city from far-right attackers. "People are being attacked in their own country, and this is unacceptable," said Hashem, who asked to withhold his surname for fear of retaliation. "We were born and raised here, and we will not be cornered by fascists...we are going to show that this behavior is not welcome here."
The current wave of violence was sparked by a stabbing incident in Southport on July 29, which left three girls dead. False rumors circulated online that the suspect was a Muslim and a migrant, fueling xenophobic anger. However, the suspect, Alex Rudakubana, is a teenager born in Wales and is neither Muslim nor a migrant.
In response to the escalating violence, Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a second Cobra emergency meeting on Tuesday to coordinate the government's response. "We’re doing everything we can to ensure that where a police response is needed, it’s in place, where support is needed for particular places, that that is in place," Starmer said. Nearly 6,000 police officers have been mobilized to address the unrest.
Despite these efforts, disinformation continues to spread online, exacerbating hatred and anger. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has noted that algorithms on social media platforms are amplifying anti-Muslim and anti-migrant narratives, contributing to the unrest.
On Tuesday, 28-year-old Jordan Parlour was charged with using threatening words to stir up racial hatred after he called on people via Facebook to attack a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist," has been accused of inflaming tensions. Musk recently stated that a "civil war" was inevitable, a comment that drew criticism from the UK government. He also referred to the prime minister as "two-tier Keir," a reference to a conspiracy theory that claims police treat white far-right protesters more harshly than other groups.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, the founder of the now-defunct anti-Islam, anti-immigrant English Defence League, has been accused of stoking rage with incendiary online messages targeting immigrants, Islam, the police, and the government.
Many believe the rise in racism can be traced back to the rhetoric of political leaders who have long pushed anti-immigration narratives. During the riots, protesters have been seen holding placards with the words "Stop the boats," a slogan popularized by the former Conservative government as part of its pledge to control undocumented migration. Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman has referred to people crossing the English Channel as invaders, further fueling anti-immigrant sentiments.
"There is no doubt that 14 years of Conservative government, their attitude, the language they used...they dehumanized them and that has an impact on people’s thinking," said Tawhid Islam, a member of the Liverpool Region Mosque Network.
The new Labour administration under Prime Minister Starmer has also adopted the "Stop the boats" rhetoric, which is prominently featured on the party’s official website as part of its "border plan."
Source: Al Jazeera
