Editor’s note: Moses Becker is a special commentator on political issues for News.Az, a PhD in political science and an expert on interethnic and interreligious relations. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.
On Monday, July 29, in the town of Southport, a knife-wielding attacker stormed into the Hope of Hart children’s dance club and killed three girls aged between six and nine. The suspect was arrested and identified as a 17-year-old whose parents had migrated from Rwanda. Nationalists from the English Defence League (EDL) attended the memorial service in Southport, using the tragedy as an excuse to attack a local mosque. At least 39 police officers were injured during the riots. Similar events occurred in the town of Hartlepool.
It is important to note that this is far from the first and only instance where a migrant or, even worse, a second- or third-generation descendant commits a crime based on religious or racial hatred. The last time such unrest occurred was in 2011 when the police shot a black man. Following that, mass riots continued intermittently for about five years. As the experience of recent decades shows, not all migration is beneficial. In recent times, the primary source of migration has been the Middle Eastern and African countries torn apart by civil wars. This creates a well-known contradiction between the capabilities of the host country and the quality, mentality, qualifications, and ability of the incoming migrants to integrate into the new environment. This is particularly true for migrants from Africa, many of whom hold radical views.
The issue of illegal migrants has become especially pressing in recent times. The birthrate among Muslims now surpasses that of the British population, which places increasing pressure on the country’s social systems. In many regions, Britain is no longer predominantly Christian. Against the backdrop of these processes, which the government has essentially allowed to spiral out of control, it is understandable why people are starting to take the law into their own hands.
For instance, in Sunderland, groups of masked individuals attacked a police station, throwing various objects at the officers, chanting racist slogans, and expressing support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Mounted police units pushed the rioters away from the mosque they were heading towards. The Northumbria Police reported that three officers were injured in the clashes and were taken to the hospital.
Over the course of the week, marches and protests against the influx of migrants took place in London, Bristol, Belfast, Southport, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Blackpool, and other cities. Demonstrators clashed with migrants, vandalized police stations, shops, and mosques, and set fire to various public buildings.
The Telegraph reported that the anti-immigrant riots were sparked by a wave of disinformation spread by the website Channel3 Now. This site, which masquerades as an American news agency, published a fake report claiming that the attack in Southport was carried out by a “17-year-old Muslim refugee, Ali Al-Shakati.” In reality, the suspect’s name is Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff in 2006. The note on Channel3 Now appeared two minutes after a post by blogger Bernie Spofforth, who regularly spreads conspiracy theories, was published on the social network X. He mentioned Al-Shakati’s name but later deleted his post without explanation. However, the Channel3 Now tweet garnered 27 million views on the social network, despite the account having only three thousand followers.
In addition to mosques, protesters also targeted hotels housing migrants. Riots related to illegal immigrants remain a long-standing and unresolved issue in the United Kingdom. The new cabinet has been unable to manage its first major crisis for over a week. More than 400 demonstrators and rioters have been arrested. The anti-immigrant rallies have provoked a reaction from the migrants themselves, who also took to the streets in several cities. Nevertheless, “white” Britain has shown itself to be more united and motivated. The experience of confronting pro-Palestinian activists and better organization of the protests played a role.
In Aldershot and Kingston upon Hull, crowds of several hundred people gathered near hotels. Demonstrators threw various objects at the buildings, shouting slogans such as “Out of England!”, “Muslim pedophiles off our streets!”, and “Stop the boats!”, highlighting the need to curb illegal migration from the European Union. The far-right organization “English Defence League,” led by Tommy Robinson, was the driving force behind the protests, with Robinson personally calling on his supporters to take to the streets via social media.
The anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland even united Protestant unionists, who advocate for the region to remain part of the kingdom, and Catholic nationalists, who seek separation from the United Kingdom. During the demonstrations, British and Irish flags flew side by side as Catholics and Protestants together faced off against another demonstration organized by left-wing activists with pro-Palestinian symbols.
In response to the anti-immigrant protests, the migrants themselves decided to take to the streets. Under the slogans “Nazi scum off our streets!” and “Allahu Akbar!” they began attacking right-wing demonstrators. Some observers have noted this as a prelude to civil war. The slogan “Allahu Akbar!” particularly provokes the far-right into even more decisive actions.
The leader of the far-right Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, stated that he is “utterly shocked by the level of violence” and blamed the police and the government for the riots, arguing that they allowed the migration problem to escalate. This statement is especially noteworthy given that Farage has never shied away from being politically incorrect, openly displaying xenophobia and even racism. His slogan “Take Back My Country” has become the rallying cry of millions and was a driving force behind Brexit. Farage claims that the government may be deliberately concealing the motives of the perpetrator, who could very well be linked to terrorists. Such statements were immediately labeled as conspiracy theories, allegedly the very kind that led to the widespread protests.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, instead of addressing the root of the problem, found nothing better to do than to call the protesters “animals.” Against this backdrop, Elon Musk’s warning that a civil war in England is inevitable sounded particularly ominous. The street riots have once again highlighted the high likelihood of a clash of civilizations, with the fault line lying in differences in mentality and worldview. This is not a war of whites against people of color. No, this is a clash of groups of people charged with incompatible ideologies.
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