Anti-racist counter-protests smother far-right ambitions

Thousands of people responded to a rallying cry to “stop the far right” by turning out at anti-racist counter-protests held across the UK yesterday. Anti-fascist group Stand Up to Racism had called for demonstrations to take place across the country, with huge crowds gathering in towns and cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, following more than a week of nationwide far-right riots.

- TARA COBHAM

The police had been braced for further violence ahead of the weekend, but the far-right were outnumbered by anti-racists where they did turn up, according to Stand Up to Racism, with more than 50 rallies taking place nationwide.

Up to 15,000 people also gathered for an anti-racism rally organised by the United Against Racism group in Belfast, with protesters seen holding placards with anti-racism and promigrant messages and heard chanting, “When migrants’ rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

Meanwhile, the thousands marching on Whitehall in support of refugees chanted “refugees are welcome here”. Stand Up to Racism estimated 5,000 people assembled at Reform UK’s headquarters in Victoria, where speakers accused Nigel Farage of “spreading racism”.

Those giving speeches later in Trafalgar Square then condemned X boss Elon Musk following recent criticism facing the social media company over the spread of disinformation on its platform.

One speaker from Stand Up to Racism told the crowd: “After being outnumbered, we turned it around this week.”

Samira Ali, who made the closing speech, later said: “We feel like we have turned the tide. It’s a testament to our mobilisation that they failed to come out. They would not have been stopped if it was not for our mobilisation.”

The group reported that hundreds, if not thousands, also gathered in many more towns and cities across the UK, including Edinburgh, Cambridge, Glasgow, Exeter, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hastings, Oxford, Manchester, and other areas of London – bringing the total number of anti-racist demonstrators potentially to the tens of thousands.