Around the country, substantial counter-demonstrations by the left outnumbered and demoralised anti-refugee protests, despite police efforts to help the far right

Anti-racist protests have taken place across the country, as far-right groups assembled in town centres and outside hotels housing asylum seekers. This continues what has been a summer of anti-immigrant protests, fuelled by racist rhetoric from the Labour government, the Tories and Reform.

Bristol

Saturday’s far-right anti-refugee protest in Bristol consisted of 35-50 people waving Union Jacks and St George’s flags, some with ‘Stop the boats, Deport Illegals Now’ placards. Their number included fascist EDL members.

They were confronted by some 500 anti-racist protesters who surrounded them behind police lines to ensure they couldn’t march to a nearby hotel housing asylum seekers as they intended to. It was clear that they were outnumbered by at least 10:1, demoralised and not going anywhere.

And then at 1pm, Somerset and Avon police took it upon themselves to attack the anti-racist counter-protesters to try to facilitate a march of the small far-right group to the hotel. What ensued was a standoff between the anti-racists and the police who turned violent, charging with horses and pulling truncheons on protesters.

After an hour of the anti-racists successfully holding the line, the police turned around and marched the far right into the city centre, shoving past unassuming shoppers, and past a Palestine protest where children in a play area would have been trampled had they not quickly been moved moments before the far right arrived. Eventually, the police got through the anti-racist lines in the city centre but gave up on trying to get the far-right protesters to the hotel and dispersed them.

It was clear from the venom on the faces of the front-line police that this wasn’t just the usual abstract notion of protecting free speech (something that they curiously never apply to Palestine protesters), but a concerted intervention on the side of the far right. No doubt partly because some in their ranks are sympathetic, but also in part buoyed by the court’s recent decision in Epping, the support from the Tory leadership and Starmer’s increasing vilification of asylum seekers.

Liverpool

Saturday was a proud day in Liverpool. A few hundred Ukip protestors from outside of the city suffered a humiliating defeat. They were outnumbered and their planned march was blocked.

There had been numerous complaints to Merseyside Police and the City Council about the fact that Ukip were being allowed into the city to protest on Slavery Remembrance Day. In the days leading up to the event, it emerged that Ukip would be marching from St George’s Hall in the centre of Liverpool to the Liverpool Women’s hospital in Liverpool 8, the city’s most multicultural area.

This route, endorsed by Merseyside Police, would have taken them past the African Caribbean Centre where celebrations were taking place for the ninetieth anniversary of Liverpool’s Ebo Association.

The Liverpool 8 community mobilised very quickly by calling a public meeting on Friday evening, attended by over eighty people. There was a clear determination at the meeting to ensure that Ukip would not be allowed into Liverpool 8 and to try to stop the racists leaving St Georges Plateau.

Ukip’s provocative plans galvanised people across the city and around 400 to 500 turned out to stop the march by blockading the Ukip protest. Merseyside Police, having insisted all week that they would facilitate the Ukip march, was forced to stop the march because of the number of counter-protestors and to escort the Ukip coaches out of the city.

Orpington

Anti-racist protesters gathered in good numbers to oppose far-right protesters outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in St Mary Cray, Orpington. The demo was supported by Bromley Stand Up to Racism, Bromley & Croydon Unite Community and South East London People’s Assembly.

Perth, Scotland

Far-right protesters were vastly outnumbered by anti-racist protesters in Perth, organised by Perth Against Racism. Counter-protesters were joined by Peter Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire.

Portsmouth

Outside council offices in Guildhall Square Portsmouth, anti-racist protesters came out to oppose anti-immigrant protesters on Friday lunchtime. There were speeches from the Trades Council and the local NEU branch. The far right have been targeting a hotel in Southsea housing asylum seekers and Ukip’s Nick Tenconi had visited their demo two weeks before, performing a Nazi salute which was caught on camera.

Leeds and Wakefield

The far right was outnumbered in Leeds, with anti-racist protesters countering them outside a hotel in Seacroft. The protest was supported by local trade-union branches, and NEU and Unite flags were present.

In Wakefield, a demo called by Stand Up to Racism in opposition to anti-immigrant protesters attracted around 100 people and was supported by Unite Community, the local trades council, the BWAFU and others. BWAFU general secretary Sarah Woolley spoke to protesters.

Cardiff

Outside a hotel in Cardiff housing Afghans who supported British forces in Afghanistan, far-right protesters were opposed by counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism, Stop the War and others. The far right have been protesting in various towns and cities in South Wales for several months but have been met with opposition on each occasion.

Horley

Stand Up to Racism protesters opposed far-right protesters outside a hotel in Surrey, chanting ‘Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here’ and calling for an end to deportations of refugees and migrants.