Liverpool, United Kingdom – The United Kingdom is bracing for another day of unrest, as reports indicate plans for racially motivated riots in several cities. Activists monitoring communications from the far-right movement fear that racists may target at least 30 locations on Wednesday. They warn that law firms and advisory groups supporting migrants, as well as immigration centers, could be attacked.
Police are preparing for more violence following several days of unrest that have already resulted in over 400 arrests. Counter-protesters are organizing to attempt to quell the disturbances, a tactic that has been effective in a few towns and villages. The group Stand Up to Racism, one of the primary organizers, has called on the public to “mobilize to defend immigration lawyers, refugee organizations, and asylum support centers.”
The group has learned that agitators have listed the locations they plan to target. Screenshots from a WhatsApp chat among the far-right movement show a list of immigration and refugee centers in at least 10 areas, with the message: “No more immigration. 8:00 PM. Mask up.” Hope not Hate warns that, in addition to the announced events, “there is a chance that the current tensions may lead to further disturbances occurring spontaneously in cities across the UK.”
Muslims, migrants, and ethnic minority groups are living in fear. Hashem, 30, plans to participate in a counter-demonstration to protect a nearby asylum center in central Liverpool from “thugs.” “People are being attacked in their own country, and that is unacceptable,” said Hashem, who wished to remain anonymous due to fears of reprisals from the far-right movement. “We were born and raised here, and we will not be pushed around by fascists… we will show that this behavior is not welcome here,” he told Al Jazeera.
Muslims in the northern city, as well as in many other towns, are experiencing the worst wave of violent xenophobia in years. The riots began in Southport following an incident in which three girls were killed on July 29. Online agitators had suggested that the stabbing was committed by a Muslim and a migrant, increasing anger among some Britons who mistakenly believe that immigration is responsible for most serious crimes. The suspect, Alex Rudakubana, is a teenager born in Wales. He is neither Muslim nor a migrant.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer led another emergency meeting to coordinate the response. “We are doing everything we can to ensure that where a police response is necessary, it is in place, and where support is needed for specific locations, it is in place,” he said. Nearly 6,000 police officers have been mobilized to handle the unrest, according to British media.
However, misinformation continues to spread online, fueling hatred and anger. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue has stated that algorithms driven by social media platforms amplify anti-Muslim and anti-migrant narratives. On Tuesday, Jordan Parlour, 28, was charged with using threatening words to incite racial hatred after encouraging people on Facebook to attack a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” has been accused of inflaming tensions. He stated that a “civil war” was inevitable, a comment that put him at odds with the British government, and referred to the Prime Minister as “two-tier Keir,” a reference to conspiracy theories suggesting that police treat white extremists more harshly than other groups.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson and founder of the now-defunct anti-Islam and anti-immigrant English Defence League, has also been accused of inciting anger with provocative online messages and comments directed at immigrants, Islam, the police, and the government.
Many at risk believe that the rise of racism can be traced back to political leaders who have promoted an anti-immigration narrative for years. Rioters have carried placards reading: “Stop the boats” – a slogan coined by the former Conservative government as part of their commitment to control irregular migration. Suella Braverman, a former Conservative Home Secretary, referred to individuals crossing the English Channel from France as invaders. “There is no doubt that 14 years of Conservative governance, their attitude, the language they have used… dehumanized them, and that has an impact on people’s mindsets,” said Tawhid Islam, a member of the Liverpool Region Mosque Network. Starmer’s new Labour administration is using similar phrases, with their official website informing readers about: “Labour’s border plan to stop the boats.”