London. Thousands of people took part in anti-racism marches in several UK cities on Tuesday evening, in protest against the violent far-right protests that have shaken the country for a week.
During the day, security forces feared dozens of new racist and Islamophobic demonstrations and possible acts of violence, particularly against mosques and hotels hosting migrants.
But by late afternoon, anti-racist protesters had gathered in several cities.
Thousands of people marched in the London borough of Wolthamstow, where a far-right demonstration had been announced, an AFP journalist noted.
The protesters, led by activists from the Stand Up To Racism group, chanted slogans such as “Whose streets are these? Ours!” and held up banners reading “Stop the far right” and “Refugees welcome”.
In Birmingham, central England, hundreds of people gathered outside a centre helping migrants.
In footage recorded by AFP, protesters can be heard chanting slogans such as “Let’s say it loud and clear, refugees are welcome here.” Some held up banners reading “Fascism is not welcome.”
Demonstrations were also organised in Bristol in the west and Liverpool in the north around the building of an association helping asylum seekers.
There were also rallies in Brighton in the south, Sheffield and Newcastle in the north, and Oxford in the centre.
For the past week, the United Kingdom has been the scene of a series of violent demonstrations called, according to authorities, by far-right groups, after a knife attack claimed the lives of three girls at a party in Southport, in the north-west of England.
The riots were fuelled by online rumours and speculation about the identity of the suspect, falsely portrayed as a Muslim asylum seeker.
Police said the suspect was a 17-year-old boy born in Wales, and British media reported that his parents were Rwandan.
At least 378 people have been arrested since the riots began, according to police.
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– 2024-08-13 17:40:56
