Mehmet Ozdemir/TR724
On Wednesday, August 7, the streets of Liverpool, a port city in the northwest of England, witnessed peace protests against racist riots, resonating with the lyrics of a song: “Give Peace a Chance.”
This was the song written by John Lennon, the founder of the legendary Beatles, who was born in Liverpool. He wrote it during a sit-in protest in a hotel room in Canada in 1969, as a response to the escalating Vietnam War. The song, intended to promote world peace, would later become the anthem of the anti-war movement that spread across America.
Four days before the song echoed through Liverpool’s streets, Elon Musk, the owner of the X (Twitter) platform, had joined the debate on violent street incidents in the UK, posting a bold statement to his 193.5 million followers: “Civil war is inevitable!” While UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and some ministers responded to Musk, the peace march of sensible British citizens, accompanied by the song “Give Peace a Chance,” became an effective and meaningful action against the violent events.
On August 7, contrary to all expectations, the streets were not filled with extreme protesters but with people seeking peace and tranquility. Crowds gathered in areas announced by racist accounts, particularly in front of law offices handling immigration cases, and the presence of 6,000 ready-to-act police officers forced the far-right activists to retreat. The same scenes were repeated on Saturday, August 10, when the possibility of increased violent protests loomed.
So, how did the most intense and prolonged racist protests in recent years, which some claims suggest were supported by forces behind the American right, fizzle out? What happened to the ‘thugs’ who set the streets ablaze, causing them to disappear so quickly? Who were the people behind the rapidly growing peaceful demonstrations, and how did they organize?
It cannot be said that the problem is completely resolved. At this point, it is not possible to say that all problems have been solved. In the United Kingdom, where racism dates back to colonial times, right-wing groups and political parties opposed to foreigners and Muslims remain where they are, and they are even growing under current conditions. Additionally, although those drawn to the streets by xenophobia are often unemployed, less educated, and spend their time in bars, the existence of people from the middle and upper classes who advocate white supremacy cannot be denied.
These individuals can support incidents covertly without taking to the streets. For instance, the first person to spread false rumors about the man who killed three girls in Southport was a 55-year-old woman named Bonnie Spofforth. Spofforth, the general manager of a clothing company who lives in a £1.5 million farm in Chester, was arrested on charges of “inciting racial hatred and spreading misinformation” but was released on bail. In a statement to the press, she cited a Russian news site as the source of the information she spread.
Therefore, rather than long-term solutions, I will try to address how the incidents that started on July 30 and lasted until August 6, causing concern due to the level of violence involved, were reversed.
It is important to emphasize from the outset that the uncompromising stance of the Labour government on those involved in the violence played a significant role in calming the streets. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was criticized by the opposition for being passive, received support for his clear backing of the police and judiciary, as well as his protective statements toward Muslim communities. By last Saturday, nearly 800 people had been arrested, with indictments prepared for 350 of them, and charges or charges were brought against them. Dozens have been sentenced to up to three years in prison.
On the other hand, there is talk that some of the crimes committed during the incidents may be classified as “terrorism,” in which case sentences could increase to 10 years.
The brave response of organized society frightened the far-right. According to some political commentators, more than administrative and police measures, the protests rising from within the community and anti-racist counter-demonstrations played a role in calming the streets.
Before delving into the details of this issue, it is important to note the cultural, racial, and religious diversity of the United Kingdom, which also stems from its colonial past. The British society is more tolerant of immigrants and different languages, religions, and cultures than other European countries, allowing people from all walks of life to live freely. From this perspective, it can be said that the history of anti-racist movements in the UK goes back as far as the history of racism itself. The peaceful demonstrations against the violent riots draw their source and courage from these realities.
As the events spread to other areas after the initial attacks in Southport, the town’s residents began to heal the wounds, repair damaged mosques and businesses, and clean up the streets that had turned into battlefields. For example, Chanaka Balasuriya (47), the owner of the looted Windsor Mini Mart, benefited from this kindness movement. Balasuriya, who emigrated from Sri Lanka in the 1990s, thought “everything was over” but found help from strangers, neighbors he had never spoken to before.
The owner of a nearby beauty salon started a fundraising campaign for repairs, raising over £11,000. A local builder replaced the windows for free. One of his suppliers came with a refrigerator full of ice cream. Within a few days, Balasuriya reopened his shop, expressing his emotions in an interview with the BBC: “You never imagine you would receive so much support.”
There were expectations that the far-right would hold demonstrations in about 30 different locations on August 7. Based on this intelligence, the police took security measures with a team of approximately 6,000 people. Stand Up to Racism, one of the main organizers of anti-racist demonstrations, called on the British to “mobilize to defend immigration lawyers, refugee aid organizations, and asylum support centers.” As a result, anti-racist marches that began in centers like London, Birmingham, and Liverpool quickly spread to other cities and towns.
‘Good people took a moral stand.’ Hashem, who participated in the march in Liverpool and withheld his last name, told Al Jazeera that the crowd was reassuring, saying, “Good people within our community took a moral stand.” Gavin Stephens, one of the UK’s most senior police officers, described these actions as “a turning point that changed the course of the wave of social unrest.” Those supporting the demonstrations included sensible Britons, Muslims, anti-racist and anti-fascist groups, union members, and left-wing organizations.
The Brighton-based organization Conversation Over Borders (COB) promised to send handwritten “welcome” letters to asylum seekers and refugees who recently arrived in the UK. The organization, which invited the public to participate in this act of solidarity, plans to deliver handwritten letters and messages to asylum seekers living in accommodation hotels across the country. In the first 24 hours of the project, the organization sent over 1,000 messages, reaching 2,200 letters by August 10. Colette Batten-Turner, the founder of COB, explained the campaign’s hope with the phrase “drown hatred with love”: “Although the voices of hate are incredibly loud, they represent a very small minority. The majority of the public does not stand behind these racist views but wants to spread a message of solidarity and compassion.”
In demonstrations organized by the far-right, mosques in at least four cities were targeted; one was even pelted with bricks, bottles, and stones. In response, some communities emerged. For example, the Protect group, which provides human support to potentially threatened places of worship. More than 1,500 people joined the organization in the first 48 hours. After a mosque in Accrington asked for help last Wednesday, Protect issued a call, and a video showing some bar-goers hugging those who came to defend the mosque went viral on social media. The founder of Protect said, “We (the group) were not formed to incite racial hatred or start a riot, but to protect ourselves and stay vigilant.”
‘We faced racism, but the majority showed kindness.’ There were rumors that the far-right, which was not much seen on the streets on August 7, would reappear on Saturday, August 10. However, continued security measures by the police, the ongoing issuance of penalties by the courts, and the determination of peace advocates to not leave the streets empty largely scared the racists. Only in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland did far-right groups attack the police with fireworks and Molotov cocktails. In the ensuing chaos, 10 officers were injured, and one protester was arrested.
On the same day, 70 km away in Belfast, there was a pro-immigrant rally organized by the United Against Racism group. Supported by over 120 groups, the demonstration saw 15,000 people share messages of peace and tolerance. Areeg Fareh from the Anaka Women’s Collective said, “We have made Northern Ireland our home. We live in communities all over the city. Yes, we have faced racism; it is challenging and painful, but most people here have shown us kindness and understanding.”
Raied al-Wazzan, Vice President of the Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality and a Muslim who has lived in Belfast for 40 years, addressed the crowd, expressing his pride in choosing this city to make his home.
