In the wake of the fatal stabbing of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Southport, near Liverpool, anti-immigration protests have erupted all over the UK. Several artists like Massive Attack, Kneecap, Nova Twins and Nadine Shah have reacted to the violence and anti-Muslim hate speech.
ADVERTISEMENTThe UK has witnessed its worst rioting since 2011 after violent clashes this weekend in the aftermath of a mass stabbing that killed three young girls during a Taylor Swift-themed event in Southport, near Liverpool.
The anti-immigration protests – which included rioters throwing bricks and chanting anti-Islamic slurs - erupted over the weekend, with skirmishes breaking out in cities including Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, as well as Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Several mosques – including ones in Sunderland and Southport – have been attacked, leading to hundreds of Islamic centres upping their security amid safety fears.
The protests were fuelled by false rumours on social media about the background of British-born 17-year-old suspect Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who is accused of killing six, seven, and nine-year-old, and injuring another 10 people in the knife attack. The suspect has been labelled as a Muslim asylum seeker who recently arrived in the UK by boat, when in fact he was born in Wales to Rwandan parents.
The false claim was promoted by EDL (English Defence League) founder Tommy Robinson, and the far-right have taken advantage of the stabbing attack to tap into concerns about the scale of immigration in the UK.
Anti-fascist demonstrators have held counter-rallies in many cities, including Leeds, where they shouted "Nazi scum off our streets", as the far-right protesters chanted, "You're not English any more".
BJ Harrington of the National Police Chiefs’ Council said in a statement on Sunday that 147 people have been arrested since last night in connection with violence and that he expects the number to rise in the coming days.
In the wake of these horrendous events, several artists like Massive Attack, Kneecap, Nova Twins and Nadine Shah have reacted to the riots.
Massive Attack posted a statement on X written by the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank: “This violent racism has long been simmering under the surface. What is happening is the direct result of years of normalised racism and Islamophobia, enabled by politicians and the British media. As far-right mobs threaten mosques, intimidate and harass people, and throw Nazi salutes, we offer our utmost solidarity to people of colour, and Muslim communities in particular.”
The statement also pointed out that Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper “fail to centre Muslim people, or call out racism for what it is”, adding: “What we are seeing unfold is more than “thuggery”, it is violent racism.”
“This is an inevitable outcome of years of state sponsored Islamophobia and racism, where Muslims, people of colour and migrants are scapegoated as a distraction from decades of economic hardship and political failings.”
Runnymede Trust demanded that politicial leadership “recognises that challenging the far right is not simply a question of tackling online misinformation, or increased police surveillance. Instead, we urgently need our leaders to challenge the conditions that embolden the far right. These scenes should be unimaginable in 2024.”
West Belfast rappers Kneecap responded to the recent anti-immigration demonstration in Belfast by posting a quote by civil rights activist Bernadette Devlin, captioning the photo: “And if you know your history…. smash all fascists”
Meanwhile, British rock duo Nova Twins released a statement, saying they were “sickened by the surge of far-right violence in the UK.”
“These actions distract from the grief and empathy owed to the Southport victims and their families. The heartbreaking incident of violence towards young girls should be met with compassion and solidarity. Instead, we are witnessing brutality that deepens suffering and hatred, with innocent Muslims and poeple of colour being attacked and beaten, making people afraid to leave their homes. This is pure racism, a disease our country can’t seem to shake.”
ADVERTISEMENTTheir statement continued: “Anti-immigration thugs shouting Islamophobic slurs and setting cars and buildings on fire – how can we be proud of a country like this?”
They ended their statement by writing: “This cycle of hatred and violence must end. Now is the time to come together, to support our neighbours and community, to safeguard and protect each other, especially those most vulnerable.”
Elsewhere, British singer-songwriter Nadine Shah, who is a Muslim, described scenes of violent riots on the streets of her hometown of Sunderland as “rancid”.
“The scenes from Sunderland last night are rancid,” she wrote. “Love and solidarity to all my brothers and sisters feeling scared and targeted right now.”
ADVERTISEMENT“Sunderland is made up of good decent people and we can’t let this hatred fester and grow. SUNLUN,” she added, alongside a photograph of herself standing outside Sunderland AFC’s Stadium of Light.
Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed that those involved in the violence will be brought to justice, stating: “People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we've seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques, other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric... I won't shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery.“
A Cobra meeting - an emergency response committee – is due to take place today.
Following the attack in Southport, Taylor Swift shared a message on Instagram about the deadly attack.
ADVERTISEMENT"The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I'm just completely in shock," she said. "The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class.”
The message concluded: "I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families."
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana is facing three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
More protests are expected across the UK this week.
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