A mass movement of anti-racists is being mobilised to counter a number of far-right rallies taking place across the UK this weekend, campaigners have said.
Counter-protests are being planned across the country in response to far-right demonstrations expected to take place in more than 25 towns and cities after the Southport attack that left three children dead.
Samira Ali, the national organiser for Stand Up to Racism, which is behind many of the counter-protests, said the growing “confidence” of the far-right cannot be “left to fester, or go unopposed”.
“We’re fighting as hard as possible to get as many people in a coalition around the country to make sure that these protests are opposed,” she said.
“What demoralises [far-right protesters] on the day is people standing together as a broad mass movement and fighting back. The far right might think they’re part of something bigger, but we know that we are in fact the majority, and we’re trying to mobilise that this weekend.”
The prime minister has announced plans to unify intelligence across the UK’s police forces to clamp down on violent disorder, with fears this weekend’s events, some of which are directly targeting mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers, could turn aggressive.
In the days since the attack on a children’s dance class in Southport, in which 11 children and two adults were stabbed, violent protests and riots have spread from the Merseyside town to London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
They have been fuelled by disinformation spread online about the nationality of the suspect in the Southport attack, who has now been named as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents.
Counter-protests, under the banner of “Stop the far right: Don’t let the racists divide us” have been called in response, as well as a number of “unity rallies” in areas where the far right are not thought to be mobilising.
Ali said the number of far-right events being planned was “shocking and unprecedented”.
“Certainly, I can’t remember seeing such a coordinated response in all localities,” she said. “The political situation is so toxic that it doesn’t matter if they’re pretty unorganised, which they are, and maybe small in forces – they think that they can call things in their areas and that people will come out.
“But I think most people are really shocked by the scenes in Southport and then Hartlepool, the kind of confidence these racists have.”
Faith leaders have also been meeting to plan a response to the protests, with hundreds of mosques taking precautions such as shutting their doors early and bringing in extra security.
Adam Kelwick, an imam from Liverpool, said he was planning to serve more than 200 burgers, chips and cold drinks to demonstrators attending a far-right protest planned outside a mosque.
“I think it’s a great chance for de-escalation,” he said. “If there’s no threat to our security, we’re literally going to be giving out cold drinks to people who’ve come to protest against our mosque and our religion.”
He said he was trying to combat ignorance which “cements division”.
“I can’t comment on the organisers of these events and their intentions, but what I do know for sure is that there are people among these crowds who are genuinely worried, genuinely concerned,” he said.
“The way they go about it might not be the best way to do it. But the reason that they’re actually there and taking themselves to these events is because they’re scared and a lot of the time that fear is based on false information, it’s based on ignorance. It’s a duty to reach out to these people.”
He said there were concerns about a violent response from the demonstrators, “but as soon as it’s established that there are people who genuinely want to meet with us and genuinely want to talk, we’re going to be there to welcome them in.”
“What we’ve seen so far, they’d be shouting, ‘Who the F is Allah?’,” he said. “So let’s assume that’s a genuine question and we’ll bring them into the mosque and we can talk about it.
“We will have our volunteers going to them, smiling to them, and passing them cold drinks on this hot day.”
