Anti-racism protesters march for peace to counter violence in UK

London, Aug 8 (PTI) A massive turnout of anti-racism counter-protesters swarmed the streets of London and other UK cities in an effort to outnumber the far-right violent mobs causing mayhem over the past week, described by Scotland Yard as a “show of unity from communities”.

Fears of violence at several planned extremist rallies targeting immigration lawyers and agencies across London and other cities on Wednesday evening abated as thousands of specialist police officers patrolled the streets and counter-protesters waving placards reading "Smash Facism & Racism" and "Stop the far right" turned out in hoards for peace marches. The UK government, however, cautioned that there is intelligence that more far-right action could take place in the next few days even as there was relief that violent disorder was averted overnight.

“Last night more than 1,000 officers were deployed across the capital ready to respond to any scenes of disorder. Their efforts and the strength of unity demonstrated by London's communities resulted in a largely peaceful evening,” said Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley, who revealed that dawn raids were carried out early on Thursday morning to arrest suspected violent offenders from the past few days.

“What I want to make really clear is those we’ve arrested aren’t protestors, patriots or decent citizens. They’re thugs and criminals. Around 70 per cent have previous convictions for weapon possession, violence, drugs and other serious offences. Some have football banning orders. These are violent people taking to the streets under the guise of protest to engage in disorder,” he said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan thanked people who peacefully stood "united against racism and Islamophobia", as well as the "heroic police force" for working round the clock to keep Londoners safe.

"To those far-right thugs still intent on sowing hatred and division, you will never be welcome here," he said in a post on X.

More than 400 people have been arrested since the first clashes last Tuesday, when false claims spread online that the suspect in the fatal stabbings in Southport, north-west England, was a refugee who had come to the UK in a small boat last year.

"I am cautious about what happened last night. It's good that we didn't see the level of disorder and criminality on our streets that we have in previous days, but obviously this is just the start,” UK Policing Minister Diana Johnson told ‘Sky News’.

"There is now further intelligence of events during the next few days, and we need to see what happens there," she said.

A large chunk of those arrested have already been charged with various offences, including violent disorder, racially aggravated harassment and using threatening words online to stir up racial hatred, and have been appearing in courts for fast-tracked sentencing, as pledged by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Meanwhile, an inquest into the death of the three little girls stabbed in the Southport knife attack was opened and adjourned earlier on Wednesday. Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, were killed when a knifeman entered a Taylor Swift themed holiday club on July 29, seriously injuring 10 others who have since been discharged from hospital. Senior coroner Julie Goulding said the hearing was a “short, sombre and formal process” to allow criminal proceedings to continue "unfettered".

Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in the Welsh city of Cardiff to Rwandan parents, remains in custody charged with the murder of the three girls and attempted murder of eight other children and two adults. PTI AK SCY SCY