Wondering how we can all stand behind & support minorities in this climate.

I hope I’m nice and polite to everybody. I also stood in support of the anti-racism protest yesterday. I was there for two and a half hours and our side was peaceful (if noisy) all that time. Lots of grannies, trade unionists, Pride T-shirts, 20-somethings. We aren’t thugs.

I agree that immigration should be controlled, and that newcomers in any area should make the effort to integrate. I may have unintentionally offended members of other ethnic groups from time to time. However, I believe it’s necessary to stand against violence, discrimination, and the destruction of our peace and our public realm.

I'm curious what 'people like you' covers. Being against illegal immigration? Being indirectly racist to anyone different to you? Being directly racist to anyone different to you? Seeking out people different to you to threaten them? Seeking out people different to you to physically assault them?

Or were you one of the people busily smashing in shop fronts to steal bath bombs and chucking fireworks and bricks at police, antifascists and people different to you because that will show them?

During Brexit there was a ribbon or badge you could wear to show you were ready to support someone if they were being harrassed on public transport for being from the EU. Perhaps we need something like that now.

(I came on here to find ways to support people who are, understandably, scared. Am ignoring the hijacker comments.)

So the far right get to broadcast their opinion inflicting violence and racism onto communities whilst everybody else has to just shuffle along just smiling and being polite.

No thanks. I would like to do a little more than what I do anyway. I’d like to be heard and also to contribute to making it clear that such hideous views are part of a minority.

FFS some people think a thread about supporting minorities in this climate is a good place to spout “poor little me I’m accused of being a thug”. If you see people being dragged out of cars, punched, having their workplaces and buildings burnt down, their businesses looted, stuff thrown at them etc and your disgust isn’t reserved for the perpetrators but is for the people calling out the perpetrators, then I think you need to re-examine your bias.

If your empathy is not for those people left in real fear by the actions of these rioters, but instead you think “poor little me, I am also far right in my beliefs and I’m being brandished with the same brush as these thugs”, then maybe you can find another thread to post about that.

Can we please stop calling these actions protests? They aren't. They are riots.

Yup, you said it better than I just did 😂

Oh what a load of virtue signalling.

We should treat everyone, minority or majority, with respect and kindness.

If the thread is to 'stand in solidarity with our neighbours who are feeling unsafe' there are a few people in Birmingham and Plymouth feeling unsafe right now. The idiotic violence going on right now isn't restricted by colour. I genuinely think threads like these are purely for whipping people up into a frenzy of virtue-signalling. Just be nice and polite to people you meet, isn't that a natural way for most people to act?

Milkyway1213. I agree with your comments.

If they don't go after all participants of these riots equally you don't half give the idiots ammunition to fuel their beliefs.

The killer of those poor girls was not, it seems, an illegal immigrant. So hijacking that horrific incident to "protest" against illegal immigration is pretty disgusting.

I'm also disgusted and ashamed that people are (not unreasonably) frightened about the violent gangs on the rampage.

You say you are disgusted that "people like you" are being called far right, which suggests you've been on one of these protests. I think that this hatred is being stirred up by people who do NOT have the UK's best interests in mind. So if you've joined in with them (even "peacefully") then - at best - you're a mug.

Even if you haven't joined in, but just sympathise with the "cause" then this thread isn't for you. It's for people who would like to find ways to stand in solidarity with our neighbours who are feeling unsafe - something you clearly are not prioritising right now.

Back to the actual topic: Dazed have done an article here: www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/64297/1/resist-far-right-violence-in-the-uk-racism-islamophobia?amp=1

Surely we just carry on as normal? There are no riots in my town or any nearby so people I see daily are just getting on with living

I asked you what you think of people wielding machetes in the street with no police presence?

The real concern of illegal immagration is a myth though

Levels of illegal immagration are small. Something like 70% of people entering the uk through illegal routes are actual deemed legally entitled to stay.

The majority of immigrants enter legally through approved routes

The vast majority of people of colour are not even immigrants but were born here

Yes we have more people from further afield now than we used to - as legal immigrants - a direct and predicted impact of Brexit ( which sone people voted for on the basis of immigration - the irony ) (and yes there can be culture problems that result - especially in a hostile rather than a welcoming climate - ah the irony again

Yes illegal immigration is bad - but more because of the high number of people dying en route to, the way it feeds criminals , and the very fact that people go to such lengths suggests their lives are much worse than those of the uk

It's not having a huge impact on your life

That’s great, thankyou!

I recommend highly checking out the organisation Hope Not Hate. They do brilliant community led work and have had many successes in recent years.

https://hopenothate.org.uk/

HNH also co-organise peaceful solidarity counter-events. I’m hoping to attend one this weekend. They will have other suggestions for ways you can help even from home.

What are you on about?

Back to the OP, yes I’d like to show support but no idea how.

This.

Op, the ways to support is to engage with the issue and engage with people you meet.

Yes of course I did. But why did you think he was talking about you?

But they are not ALL thugs!
Did you not see footage of the 73 year old who was arrested for just being present at a protest?

Did you not listen to the actual Prime Minister's speech the other day?

Well then saying most of the protestors want to protest in peace and it’s a tiny minority is a ridiculous and deliberately incorrect thing for you to say.

OP started this thread to show solidarity to adults and children who are now terrified to go out. Hostels have been attacked and burned, people dragged out of cars and attacked, graves desecrated, cities covered in racist gravity, thugs and mobs rampaging saying awful things and damaging local communities and services like libraries …

It’s about them,not you.

Because the people out there are thugs. Hope that helps.