HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

Following the killings of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, the UK was rocked by a wave of far-right riots and unrest. Damon Wilkinson and Ramazani Mwamba examine the disinformation, racism, populism, anger and frustration behind the unrest and its chilling impact on our communities

HOW did it come to this? It’s the question which has to be asked after days of disorder on our streets.

On the surface of it, the catalyst for the rioting which has convulsed streets in towns and city centres was an incendiary mix of unspeakable tragedy, internet disinformation and far-right thuggery.

But there is more in the background. The M.E.N. has spoken to people who protested in the wake of the Southport stabbings, people left terrified by the violence that erupted, and people who say they really aren’t surprised by what’s happened.

Racism and hate, whipped up and legitimised by right-wing politicians, the effect of immigration policy on social cohesion – and the impact of deprivation and inequality in our society – all come under the microscope.

People we’ve spoken to this week include Joyce Todd, a 78-year-old from Hathershaw, Oldham, who told us she ‘believes we can live as a neighbourhood together and respect each other’s cultures’ – but ‘there’s too much immigration full stop’.

We last spoke to Joyce back in 2016, when she gave us her frank views on immigration in her community in the run up to the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Last week, we visited Joyce again, and she told us she didn’t agree with the riots – but that they weren’t ‘only about the far-right’.

“I live among Asian people and I am friends with all of them,” she said.

Yet, for many Greater Mancunians from ethnic minorities, the unjustifiable explosion of racism, violence and disorder has left them questioning if they will forever be scapegoated and singled out because of their faith, or the colour of their skin.

As Jawad Amin, from Stockport, puts it: “In the past, when something bad happened you would say ‘please Allah, let it not be Muslim’. Now we’ve got to the stage where, even if it isn’t a Muslim, Muslims are still attacked.”