Riots causing me (Muslim female) anxiety.

[Mavan1984]

I am a Muslim hijab wearing woman (born and brought up in this country). I have 3 kids under the age of 16 and the riots are causing me a great deal of anxiety. Me and dh had planned to take the kids out this weekend but we cancelled because we didn't think it was safe. I feel like we are better off just staying at home throughout the summer to protect ourselves and the kids.

I have had racist comments made at me before, but I don't want my kids to experience this. I feel like the rioting will empower others to be openly racist. I experienced this when 9/11 happened and I am just so scared because this time it feels a lot worse.

Me and dh were born to immigrant parents who worked very hard in menial jobs to educate us. We both have professional careers, but at this moment in time I feel like none of this matters and we are being attacked. Will it get any better? How can I protect my family?

A lot of my Muslim friends are feeling the same and it feels as though we have a very bleak future in this country.

They are racist.

Wow another sensible brown person. I thougth I was the only one!

They’ll have to explain why, in a way that draws on facts rather than prejudice and misinformation. Why should anyone listen to them if they can’t do that?

This isn’t the white working class though. It’s the far right and teenagers who are there for a “laugh”. Why are people so reluctant to say that? There might be concerns amongst the white working class but they are not the ones out there smashing up towns.

Also, I have seen what is happening in France and Germany and dont' want it to happen.

Rishi and the other brown Tories tried to stop it but were not able to before they left office.

The white Labour politicians will never feel scared like we do and so will do nothing about it.

They don’t own the towns.

Honestly sweetie, it’s a tiny minority of paid thugs.

There’s always one nutter on the bus - well, it’s hot & they’ve kicked off this weekend.

If anyone tried to mess with a Muslim round here, they wouldn’t get far.

Don’t give in to fear - that’s what rent-a-loon wants.

Have a good day out tomorrow.

No most of the white working class are decent people but they are fed up too and I don't blame them.

I am disgusted and deeply disappointed that people are behaving like this. Absolutely no need for it at all. The majority of us do not feel that way. I hope you and children are ok x

No, they live in them.

Smashing up towns and physically and verbally abusing people is not an appropriate way to make the government listen to you. Especially when the violence isn't even being directed towards government.

OP, I am so sorry, I hope this all ends soon and those causing this absolute horrid chaos are brought to justice.

Like others have said on here, if I was out and was witness anything of the like, I would stand up for you and your family.

This is so heartbreaking to read. I completely understand why you feel scared.

Would your employer allow you to wfh for a while? Surely they must be understanding of your situation. It's completely reasonable.

I don’t disagree with you on that one. 14 years of austerity, terrible public services, feeling constantly lied to by politicians through Covid and Brexit. There is definitely a feeling of disenchantment - not necessarily restricted to class. I think you’re doing a disservice to working class people though if you think they put all of the blame on immigrants.

So those setting fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, had no other choice? Nice way to excuse out and out racially motivated violence!

I worked with asylum seekers' children in a school. I found them to be respectful to the teachers, eager to learn and keen to make friends. Their parents were all professionals, most of them bilingual, who were denied the right to work until they achieved their status. Most of them were living in subpart accommodation, with only food vouchers to sustain them. They never complained.
I also fail to understand, as a "brown" person, how you can defend these thugs. My husband is from an ethnic minority and I am white (non British). I will never, ever excuse these rioters. Looting/burning cars and properties/ assaulting the police is just criminal behaviour. Full stop.

This is what that particular poster does not seem to realize, if they are indeed "brown" as they claim that they are. These people don't want people like her either, muslim, or not.

So to protest against asylum seekers, they looted lush and shoezone.

What does free face cream and sneakers have to do with immigration anyway.

I was not afraid to go out and then I saw a video yesterday of them trying to drag a man with brown skin out of his car and were attacking him and damaging his car.

There was also a group attacking a black man, completely unprovoked.

These ‘men’ are not against targeting single men and they won’t be against targeting women or children.

I am avoiding the cities until these thugs have crawled back into their holes.

#smalldickbehaviour

I am blown away by the scale of this when I saw on the news they were downplaying numbers a bit but there are literally tens of thousands of people at just at one of the riots. The problem is even if the majority disagree the people who disagree are not the ones with the impotus for violence so the situation is the rioters will be able to keep growing because the people who think it’s wrong are not getting off their couch in large enough numbers to stop this. The sentiment is not going to go away there are a very large number of very angry people ,regardless of whether their actions are justified, are not going to be changing their mind and every event which they can use to justify their beliefs will increase the numbers more then when another thing happens it’s going to be worse than before. This is literally how ghettos throughout history have formed immigrant populations will be forced to seek refuge with their own communities in large numbers this causes further division as it well known lack of communication causes these sentiments in people especially when other circumstances nothing to do with migrants are affecting them which they then can blame on the “others”. I mean nazi germany had the night of broken glass very similar situation and we all know what happened next. On top of this when migrant populations defend themselves this will be twisted into a narrative that native populations are under attack causing even more strife. The UK is going to become a lot less safe for everyone. God help us all.

I feel SO angry that these ignorant racists have made you feel scared and anxious 😡 it's beyond disgusting. Please know that they are a tiny minority. I understand completely that you are feeling worried about your children's safety. I really hope this all dies down soon. I think the Government need to get a grip on it and clamp down hard on these animals.

Tbh OP I wouldn't feel bad if you chose to stay home tomorrow. Do what feels right and safe for you and your family and reach out for support in your community. It's all any of us can do. It's not weakness or hiding from bullies, it's seeing what happens overnight and letting things settle down locally if needs be. I'd hope your employers/clients would understand. You'll be able to stand strong and feel safe where you live again soon, I'm sure, but let the authorites regain control. This thuggery won't be tolerated. And I say this as someone who has some concerns about general immigration levels, but values diversity and democracy!

I feel the same OP. I’m a black woman with mixed race DC and I’m worried about this situation. These Far Right rioters are targeting ANYONE that isn’t white. I’ve spoken to both my DC and warned them to be careful when they are out and about, because they may become targets due to the colour of their skin, my DS in particular who lives in one of the cities where the racist violence has occurred.
It takes a lot for me to be worried and I’m worried. Born and bred in this country, I’m British, with a British DH and British DC and I’m worried. Haven’t felt like this for a long time.

Nigel?

You absolutely do not speak for me.