Far-right demonstrations were anticipated by UK police in dozens of locations across the nation on Wednesday night, but they failed to materialize as peaceful anti-racism protestors instead showed up in force.
Police had braced themselves for another night of violence following a week of rioting and disorder fuelled by misinformation over a stabbing attack against young girls.
Many businesses had boarded up windows and closed as the rioting swept the country, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing the disturbances as “far-right thuggery” and warning those involved in the violence would “face the full force of the law.”
On Wednesday night, Stand up to Racism and other groups planned counter protests but in most places, they were met with no opposition.
In London, Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool and Birmingham, large, peaceful crowds gathered outside agencies and law firms specializing in immigration which had been listed by Internet groups as possible targets of far-right activity.
It was a vast change from the chaos that has erupted on streets throughout England and Belfast, Northern Ireland, since July 30.
Cities and towns were plagued with riots and looting as angry mobs, encouraged by far-right extremists, clashed with police and counterdemonstrators.
The disturbances began after misinformation spread about the stabbing attack that killed three girls attending a Taylor Swift dance workshop in the seaside community of Southport.
Social media users falsely identified the suspect as an immigrant and a Muslim.
Spouting anti-immigrant slogans, rioters then attacked mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers – creating fear in Muslim and immigrant communities. Reports have emerged of violent counterattacks in some areas.
The head of London’s Metropolitan Police Service said earlier Wednesday that officers were focused on protecting immigration lawyers and services. In addition to thousands of officers already deployed, about 1,300 specialist forces were on standby in case of serious trouble in London.
“We’ll protect those people,” Commissioner Mark Rowley said. “It is completely unacceptable, regardless of your political views, to intimidate any sector of lawful activity, and we will not let the immigration asylum system be intimidated.”
However, by early late evening, apart from scattered disturbances and some arrests, trouble had not erupted.
A crowd of immigrant supporters quickly grew to several hundred in the London neighbourhood of North Finchley, finding themselves largely alone with several dozen police officers.
The crowd chanted “Refugees welcome” and “London against racism.” Some held signs saying, “Stop the far right,” “Migration is not a crime” and “Finchley against Fascism.”
At one point, an unruly man who had been shouting at the group and pulling his shirt up to show off an eagle tattoo was punched by a protester. He was led away, and officers questioned a possible suspect.
