In the first week of August 2024 terrifying far right, ant immigration protests and riots erupted across England. They were sparked by a mass stabbing of little girls at a dance class in Southport on 29 July in which three children were killed. The riots were fuelled by false claims circulated by far-right groups that the perpetrator of the attack was a Muslim asylum seeker.  Broader racist, and anti-immigrant sentiments had been building in the lead up to this horrifying week of protests. Racist attacks, arson and looting was widespread, and we witnessed the most significant social unrest in England since 2011 with nearly 2000 arrests over half of which led to individual charges being made.

The most severe rioting took place over the weekend of 3–4 August, when anti-immigration protesters clashed with police and counter-protesters, attacking homes and businesses owned by immigrants, and hotels housing asylum seekers. Thankfully from 6th August the unrest began to abate as counter-protesters consistently and considerably outnumbered far-right protesters, and large anti-racist rallies took place across the country on 7th August.

The riots and counter protests highlighted deep divisions within our society. We witnessed the best and worst of humanity. Despair and horror alongside hope and a determination to stand up to racism and intimidation.

These divisions and contrasts are now increasingly an accepted part of day to day life and are everywhere you look.