Britain: Thousands of people in anti-racist protests

It was great to participate in anti-racist demonstrations that took place on Saturday in Britain, after 10 days of racist and Islamophobic violent riots, considered the worst riots in Britain for 13 years. The largest demonstration today gathered many thousands of people in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, where police last week recorded numerous acts that described racist. A mosque in Newtowns, east of Belfast, was again targeted by vandalism during the night, with police stating that it treats the case as a racist crime. Folks gathing at Writers Square ahead of today’s march. pic.twitter.com/u2ww6fDfiG

— Brendan Harkin 💀 (@brendanjharkin) August 10, 2024

Hundreds of people were still gathered in Newcastle (North England), Cardiff (Wales), Glasgow and Edinburgh (Scotland). In London, nearly 1,000 people gathered in front of the headquarters of the anti-immigration and anti-systemic Reform UK party, holding signs writing “not racism, not hatred”. There were no episodes. This is from London. Hindu Community raised outside the UK Parliament to protect against the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. #BangladeshiHindus pic.twitter.com/VcyCTTzxTy

— Be political (@be_political123) August 10, 2024

The last major clashes between police and rioters occurred on Monday night, however the police remain on alert this weekend.

British Justice quickly demonstrated reflexes against racist riots, reporting within a week 300 charges against rioters about various crimes, including online publications that fuel violence. Over 700 people have been arrested. Yesterday Friday, a court imposed a 20-month prison sentence on a 28-year-old for incitement to racial hatred over the Internet. It is the first sentence imposed after the riots, with the British government aiming to prevent and fight in order to put an end to the far-right riots. A first wave of anti-racist protests took place Wednesday, and in the following days thousands of people marched peacefully on the streets, in many cities against racism and Islamophobia. The violence, aimed at mosques and immigrant hospitality centers, broke out after the knife attack that cost three girls life on July 29th in Southport City in northeastern England. The legend of racist and Islamophobic riots was false news and rumors released on the Internet about the identity of the alleged perpetrator. Source: RES-AE