Far-right riots in the wake of a stabbing attack in the English northwestern town of Southport on 29 July have become an early test for the incoming Labour government. The riots, stoked by agitators amplifying anti-immigrant disinformation1Esther Bintliff and Eve Sampson, ‘Who Are the Far-Right Groups Behind the U.K. Riots?’ New York Times, 3 August 2024 about the suspected perpetrator’s background, recall the rioting in Dublin in November 2023. Following the initial far-right rioting on 30 July, disturbances spread to at least 25 counties across the UK over the weekend of 3 to 4 August and were met with anti-racism demonstrations (see maps below).
Between 30 July and 5 August,2The latest data available at the time of writing. ACLED records about 40 events, of which over a half turned violent. Far-right mobs, chanting anti-migrant and Islamophobic slurs, took to the streets in their dozens and hundreds and clashed with police. Hotels housing migrants, mosques, and police stations were among frequent targets for object-hurling and arson attempts, with northern England most affected. There were also several incidents of attacks on members of minority communities.
Hundreds of anti-racism demonstrators mobilized over the weekend across the country, also to protect mosques and hotels. Scuffles among demonstrators broke out in Bristol, Belfast, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Manchester. The aftermath of the Southport attack contributed to a rise in the number of violent demonstrations in 2024 that already exceeds the annual highs of 2020 and 2021, which were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic (see graph below).
It is not clear if counter-demonstrators’ mobilization, which continued in large numbers on 7 August, or law enforcement action would end the far-right riots. So far, the violence during riots has not resulted in fatalities among participants that could further galvanize unrest. Whatever the outcome, questions may linger as to managing inter-communal tensions and mitigating the impact of disinformation on social networking platforms.3Eshe Nelson, ‘Elon Musk Clashes With Keir Starmer Over Riots in Britain,’ New York Times, 7 August 2024
Visuals produced by Ana Marco.
