ANTI-RACIST campaigners urged Britain to maintain unity to crush the far-right today.
The call came after tens of thousands of counter-protesters flooded the streets on Wednesday night in defiance of a surge of far-right violence that has gripped the nation.
More than 39 locations including immigration centres and lawyers’ offices were expected to be targeted by far-right rallies that evening, however their cowardly supporters largely neglected to turn up.
In Blackpool, a handful managed to take possession of a roundabout and were seen holding up a “Take the Island Back” sign.
Meanwhile chants of “refugees are welcome here” echoed through Walthamstow, in north-east London, as 8,000 poured onto the streets to take a stand against a proposed far-right rally targeting an immigration centre.
In Finchley, another 2,000 took to the counter-protest. Similar numbers were seen in Newcastle and Brighton.
Weyman Bennett, co-convener of Stand Up to Racism which has helped organise rallies around the country, said: “In city after city, people came together to unite against racism and the far-right threat.
“We need more of that. They’re not going to go away.
"We’re building a movement across Britain to stop the far right — and it’s a movement built on solidarity and unity.”
In Liverpool, chants of “this is what community looks like” rang outside another asylum centre, in a counter-demo which drew in more than 1,000 protesters.
On Saturday, the city was subjected to violent scenes which saw a Muslim stall attacked and a library set on fire.
Speaking at the protest, RMT regional organiser Daren Ireland said that trade unions across the city had come together with other like-minded individuals to do leafleting, speak to people in the community, and link up with mosques and refugee support services.
“Tonight’s got a good turnout because there’s been community resistance,” he said.
The Metropolitan Police praised “the show of unity from communities” across London, praising the anti-racist demonstrators for preventing far-right violence.
It said there had been anti-social behaviour in Croydon, however.
But the black-led anti-racist Liberation Movement campaign said local youths who had come out to resist the fascists and defend their mosque quickly dispersed “as there had been a no-show from the fascists,” heeding their elders’ call for “peace and calm” after confrontations with officers.
The group described it as “a magnificent demonstration of community unity and resistance.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Stamer chaired another Cobra meeting as the country braced for another 20 potential gatherings this evening before the Morning Star went to print.
Ahead of the meeting, he said that violence was prevented on Wednesday thanks to the police deployment, ignoring the crucial role of tens of thousands of counter-protesters who had mobilised to defend their communities nationwide.
He said the decision to speed up prosecutions of those involved in riots “sent a very powerful message.”
Many newspapers took a rare break from peddling racist hate to feature the large counter-demos on their front pages.
Stand Up to Racism has called for a mass mobilisation in every town and city on Saturday.
A demonstration has also been called in Cardiff at midday tomorrow.
It follows a week of unrest which has seen immigration centres, mosques and hotels housing asylum-seekers targeted in riots circulated on far-right social media channels.
The surge of racist violence came after the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport last week.
Far-right agitators exploited the tragedy and spread lies online claiming that the attacker, who was born in Britain to a Christian family, was Muslim and a migrant.
There have been 483 arrests relating to violent disorder so far, with 148 charges issued against those involved.
