IN A powerful display of unity and solidarity on Wednesday, thousands of youth and workers gathered across the UK to form human shields to protect asylum centres from racist attacks.
This was in response to police warnings about potential unrest from over 100 far-right rallies which they were allowing.
Demonstrators held placards bearing messages like ‘refugees welcome’ and ‘reject racism, try therapy’ as they took to the streets in reaction to the tragic fatal stabbing of three girls in Merseyside and the subsequent rioting.
In what was described as the largest police mobilisation to counter potential disorder since the 2011 riots, police forces prepared extensively.
41 out of 43 local police force areas in England and Wales braced for possible violence.
This included the deployment of approximately 6,000 riot-trained officers, the closing of lawyers’ offices, high street shops being boarded up, GP practices shutting early, and MPs being advised to work from home.
However, instead of the feared violence, hundreds of thousands of counter-protesters took to the streets in cities including Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, and London to safeguard their communities and to drive the fascists off the streets.
At 7pm in Liverpool, hundreds of people formed a human shield outside a church that hosts an immigration advice centre, with women holding banners reading: ‘Nans against Nazis.’
Similar acts of solidarity were witnessed in Hounslow, Walthamstow and Finchley, where local residents and anti-fascist activists united under placards.
In Harrow, hundreds of workers and youths assembled to counter the English Defence League’s (EDL) threat to attack the Yes UK Immigration building on Pinner Road, North Harrow.
Shops in the area closed early, and there was a notable police presence, but no racists were visible. The anti-fascist protesters chanted slogans such as ‘Whose streets? Our streets,’ ‘Refugees are welcome here,’ and ‘Free, free Palestine!’
Introducing the speakers at the rally, the chairman declared, ‘We will stand up and fight anyone who intimidates our community.’
Paul, President of Harrow Trades Council, added, ‘We drove out the EDL in 2009 when they marched against the mosque, and they are nowhere to be seen tonight.
‘The man orchestrating this, Tommy Robinson, is lying on a sunbed in Cyprus. However, it is successive Labour and Tory governments who have promoted this anti-immigrant policy.’
Dr Asaria expressed his disgust at the recent violence, saying, ‘I was born here, and it is such a diverse community with people of many faiths and ethnicities living side by side.
‘There are many more of us than the hate-filled racists. Without immigrants, the NHS would not function. You couldn’t even find a barber for a haircut. We are not going anywhere, and there is nothing you can do about it.’
Pamela Fitzpatrick, independent candidate for Harrow West, criticised past governments for their harsh immigration policies, stating, ‘Both parties in the last election kept saying the boat people must be stopped and that immigration is causing all our problems. But it is the privatisation of our NHS and the greed of the capitalists destroying our communities.’
Ihtesham Afzal, Brent Labour Councillor remarking, ‘The real enemy does not arrive in a boat but in a luxury yacht, private jet, or limousine.
‘Racism knows no boundaries. It is a concerted effort to attack asylum seekers. As Martin Luther King said, this system is built on three evils: capitalism, racism, and militarism. We must tackle all these issues together. If your representatives are silent, let them know, especially about Gaza.’
Protesters shared their thoughts with News Line. Mohamed Khan expressed his satisfaction at the large turnout and the absence of racists, recalling the struggles faced by his parents in the 70s: ‘I am glad to see such a big turnout tonight and not a racist in sight. We will smash the fascists in the streets. My mum and dad suffered Paki-bashing in the 70s, and those days are over.’
Irena, a 28-year-old professional working in human rights said: ‘Yesterday, I attended the counter protests taking place in North Finchley. It was incredible to see how many people came in support of their family, friends and neighbours.
‘Only one fascist was visible for the duration of the protest – they simply did not attend,’ she said.
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