UK sees anti-racism protests after days of far-right riots

DW (English)

Thousands of people took part in anti-racism protests across the UK, after days of far-right rioting fueled by outrage over the stabbing death of three children and subsequent disinformation that falsely named an asylum seeker as the perpetrator.

Transcript

00:00They say they're here to keep racists out.

00:06Hundreds showed up at this refugee support centre in Liverpool when they learned it might

00:11be targeted by more far-right riots after a week of unrest in the UK and attacks on

00:17similar facilities.

00:18I think the last government's got a lot to answer for in terms of the policies that have

00:28undermined other services and therefore made British people angry. But the people moaning

00:34that they can't get a national health appointment, if all the non-white national health doctors

00:42and nurses went, they'd be in an even worse state.

00:45The demonstrators say they want to show the world that Britain is a welcoming melting

00:49pot.

00:50We're here today to get communities together and there's lots of people here today who

00:57have never seen before.

00:59But many British Muslims are living in fear.

01:01I can't lie to you. I'm terrified to be here. I'm extremely paranoid and extremely anxious.

01:08But I won't let them think that they've defeated us all, you know, since they've made us feel

01:12like we can't, you know, exercise our day-to-day right of just being alive and walking around

01:16on our streets.

01:18Those are rights the government says it's determined to protect.

01:22Hundreds of people have been arrested over the past few days across the country and jail

01:27sentences have already been handed down. Authorities hope the heavy police presence will make sure

01:33that protests remain peaceful and that there are no more riots.

01:38But the damage has already been done. This local library was looted over the weekend.

01:44And this mosque, the oldest in the UK, now keeps its doors locked except at prayer times.

01:50The riots began after false claims spread online that the perpetrator of a deadly mass

01:55stabbing was a Muslim asylum seeker.

01:58After racist attacks ensued, community leaders have now come out with a nationwide call for

02:04Muslims not to retaliate.

02:06If you fight fire with fire and you fight criminality with criminality and violence

02:10with violence, how does that make you any better? You're the same, if not worse, because

02:14you should be more intelligent. You claim to be a Muslim and you have these beautiful

02:18teachings and you're just going to throw them all to one side and just bring shame to your

02:23name and the reputation of your community. This is the message.

02:27The British government has promised to keep cracking down on anyone whipping up unrest

02:33as the country tries to cool tensions and find a way forward.

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