Resistance to the racist mob showed true spirit of Britain

So much for Britain sliding into civil war, eh, Mr Musk? Pretty much a whole nation was braced on Wednesday evening for the worst civil disorder in a decade or more.

- SEAN O'GRADY

Fair to say, too, that some were also hoping, for their own malign reasons, for chaos, mayhem and even death.

The rumours were of 100 far-right protests and about 30 counterdemonstrations, the hard-pressed police sandwiched in between, and with the inevitable violence and heartache to follow, as before. We expected towns and cities trashed, and their reputations with it. Community relations destroyed, Muslims cowering in fear and baying mobs picking on anyone of colour for a beating. Mob rule.

But it did not turn out like that, or anything like it. In fact, it was a rout for the far right in the best possible way – a peaceful one where they were overwhelmed by folk who despise what they stand for, as much as their incoherent claims make any sense at all. The turnout of anti-fascist citizens, many people who’d ordinarily go nowhere near a political demo and actually regard themselves as simply decent people who are appalled by Islamophobia and other racism, was really a historic moment.