Refugees welcome – Anti-racism protesters gather to show support for immigrants amid anti-immigrant protests in the UK

Thursday, August 8, 2024 - A "show of unity" from the public helped thwart widespread riots across the UK, police said on Thursday.

Thousands of anti-racism demonstrators filled the streets of London and other cities on Wednesday, August 7, to rally against far-right groups who have called for more anti-immigrant marches in the UK.

The far-right group have rioted for days, causing chaos, as they called for immigrants to leave their country.

However, anti-racism demonstrators gave now taken to the streets to say refugees and welcome.

Some anti-racism demonstrators gathered outside an asylum centre in Liverpool to defend it from a planned anti-immigrant rally.

"The show of force from the police and, frankly, the show of unity from communities together defeated the challenges that we faced," Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, said Thursday, August 8.

"It went off very peacefully last night, and the fears of extreme right disorder were abated."

Thousands of police officers were deployed to the British capital, London. In addition, around 1,300 specialist forces were on standby in case of serious trouble in London.

By Wednesday evening, anti-racism protesters filled the streets with messages welcoming immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.

There were also large and peaceful protests in the cities of Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool and Bristol, among others.

"Refugees welcome" and "London against racism".

People banged drums and chanted "refugees welcome" and "London against racism" in London.

Outside an immigration centre in the Walthamstow area of east London, which saw a large gathering, a counter-protest leader shouted, "fascists gone" to which a crowd of hundreds responded: "off our streets."

Others held signs saying, "Stop the far right," "Migration is not a crime" and "Finchley against fascism."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described the previous disturbances as "far-right thuggery," rejecting suggestions that the riots are about the government's immigration policies.