Instead of further right-wing extremist riots, thousands of people in England are demonstrating peacefully against hatred and violence. Is the nightmare now over?
New right-wing extremist protests and possible riots were expected in dozens of places in England – but instead thousands of people took to the streets on Wednesday evening to protest against hatred and violence. Right-wing extremists hardly showed up. The relief is palpable across the country.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan thanked the people who demonstrated peacefully and the security forces on the short message service X. He added: “And to all the right-wing thugs who still want to sow hatred and division – you will never be welcome.”
The relief was also reflected in the newspaper’s headlines. “The night anti-hate protesters stood up to thugs” was the headline in the conservative tabloid “Daily Mail”, “Thousands take to the streets to confront the threat from the far right” was the headline on the front page of the “Guardian”.
Scotland Yard chief Mark Rowley spoke of a “very successful evening” and praised the commitment of the peaceful counter-protests. “We had thousands of officers on the streets and I think the show of strength and, frankly, the demonstration of unity of the people together overcame the challenges,” Rowley said, according to the BBC.
According to the organisation Stand Up to Racism, around 25,000 people gathered across the country to protest against far-right violence, including many in the London borough of Walthamstow, east London and the cities of Bristol, Brighton, Liverpool and Sheffield.
Right-wing extremist riots in several cities in England and Northern Ireland had previously kept the country on edge for days. There were attacks on security forces, accommodation for asylum seekers, mosques and shops. Bricks, fence slats and other projectiles were thrown. Cars and buildings were set on fire. Dozens of officers were injured.
The government had announced that the rioters would feel the full force of the law. More than 400 people were arrested and over 100 have already been charged. The first convictions resulted in prison sentences of several years.
Despite the encouraging developments, Police Secretary Diana Johnson did not want to give the all-clear. It is good that the violence and crime of the past few days have not been repeated, she told the news channel Sky News, but there have been announcements of further right-wing extremist protests.
