Elham Asaad Buaras
More than 150 organisations have called on the Government to act over what they describe as a growing pattern of racist violence and intimidation following far-right protests in Dover and Portsmouth, a suspected arson attack in Glasgow and the mistaken targeting of Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team.
The 154 signatories, including Muslim groups, trade unions, faith organisations and anti-racism bodies, said anti-migrant rhetoric, far-right mobilisation and misinformation were contributing to a climate in which racist intimidation was becoming increasingly commonplace.
The warning follows a series of incidents across England and Scotland.
About 150 masked protesters blocked roads leading to the Port of Dover on September 5, while more than 200 protesters gathered in Portsmouth the following day to prevent coaches carrying asylum seekers from leaving.
In Glasgow, an empty tenement was deliberately set alight after false claims circulated online that it was being converted into accommodation for asylum seekers.
On September 8, masked protesters gathered outside a Marriott hotel in Portsmouth after mistakenly believing asylum seekers were staying there. The men were members of Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team.
The coalition called on political leaders to challenge racist narratives and ensure people were not made to fear for their safety because of their religion, ethnicity, immigration status or skin colour.
Dr Shabna Begum, Chief Executive of the Runnymede Trust, said the incidents formed part of a wider pattern of racial violence and intimidation, from the Southport riots two years ago to violence in Belfast this summer.
“Racist violence and intimidation is increasingly normalised in the UK,” she said, adding that racial justice and migrants’ rights organisations had repeatedly called on the Government to address what they described as the political and structural conditions behind the escalation.
“We all deserve to live in safety and without fear. We need decisive government action to stop this cycle of violence from escalating further. It is already long overdue.”
Siân Summers-Rees, chief officer at City of Sanctuary, said the far right was exploiting economic and social pressures by blaming migration.
“When people are struggling, the far right offers up migration as an easy target,” she said.
“But migrants are not the reason wealth has been hoarded, public services stripped back and communities left behind.”
Amnesty International UK also condemned the incidents. Chief Executive Kerry Moscogiuri described the scenes in Dover as “truly shocking” and warned of a “sickening increase in racist violence, threats and intimidation”.
On September 7, Amnesty also condemned the attack in Possilpark, Glasgow, describing it as part of a “grim increase in racist violence”.
In Dover, protesters linked to the newly established far-right Patriot Platform formed a human blockade on roads leading to the port and chanted anti-migrant slogans, including “Stop the boats” and “England till I die”.
The protest disrupted traffic around one of Britain’s busiest ferry terminals before access was restored.
Kent Police described it as a “no-notice” protest. No arrests were made, although investigations into possible criminality are continuing.
The handling of the demonstration has prompted questions over police intelligence and preparedness, following reports that officers had received information about a possible protest.
Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott said he respected the right to peaceful protest but condemned what he called “the intimidating tactics used by those gathered”.
He said Kent Police was reviewing the incident and that he would monitor its handling.
Patriot Platform leader Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo and a former associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, had indicated beforehand that his group was preparing an action. The group later mobilised in Portsmouth.
On September 6, a boat carrying about 120 people reached British waters near the Isle of Wight. The RNLI, acting under HM Coastguard’s direction, directed it to Eastney Marina in Portsmouth.
More than 200 protesters gathered at the harbour at about 8pm, intending to prevent three coaches from taking the asylum seekers for processing. Many were wearing black clothing and face coverings.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary imposed a dispersal notice. Officers used batons and PAVA spray during clashes with some protesters.
The demonstration continued into the early hours, with the coaches eventually leaving at about 4am.
Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones told Parliament on September 7 that the Government condemned the “intimidating and thuggish behaviour” of some protesters.
She said anyone crossing the line from peaceful protest into illegality would face the “full force of the law”.
Ms Jones said investigations were continuing and that Kent and Hampshire police were working with the National Police Coordination Centre to identify lessons and improve the speed at which intelligence was shared.
Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones described the Portsmouth protest as “deeply concerning” and praised officers for maintaining control, saying hundreds of officers had been deployed during the overnight disorder.
The movement of protesters between Dover and Portsmouth has also increased scrutiny of how authorities monitor far-right networks operating across different parts of the country.
The National Police Coordination Centre has increased its monitoring of the activity.
In Glasgow, an empty tenement on Stoneyhurst Street in Possilpark was deliberately set alight at about 4.50pm on September 6.
Police Scotland is treating the blaze as wilful fire-raising. No one was injured.
The building was being renovated by housing association ng homes after years of dereliction. False claims had circulated online that it was being converted to house asylum seekers.
The housing association rejected the claims, saying the properties would provide affordable homes for people on its existing waiting list. The project had received about £3 million in investment.
Detective Inspector Neil Martin appealed for information, including CCTV and dash-cam footage.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said those responsible for spreading misinformation would be pursued and that the full force of the law should apply if the building had been deliberately targeted.
The misinformation resurfaced on September 8 when masked anti-immigration protesters gathered outside a Marriott hotel in Portsmouth after mistakenly believing asylum seekers were staying there.
The protesters had reportedly mistaken members of Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team for asylum seekers after unverified claims that foreign men had arrived at the hotel on a coach used by asylum seekers.
Reform UK councillor George Madgwick intervened and established that the men were members of the visiting cricket team. The protesters then dispersed.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has also faced increased online abuse and threats over its role in rescuing people crossing the Channel.
Police in Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex are taking measures to protect RNLI personnel following protests and threats against the charity.
