Cancel holiday to Cornwall due to riots?!

[ShouldICancel]

I've name changed for this as I feel quite silly even asking this! We're meant to be in Cornwall from this weekend for 7 nights and DH is saying we'll have to wait and see what happens with all the riots. For context, we're brown, but not Muslim (I say this because I know Muslims are being sadly targeted :( )

At first I thought DH is overly cautious (which he tends to be) and needs a reality check, but having said that, for the first time in almost 18 years I've felt a bit unsafe in the UK, so maybe I'm the one who needs a reality check.

While most of the news has focused on the riots in the north, I wanted to check with those in South (especially Cornwall) if you've seen any issues? Would it be safe to travel? My parents will also be joining us, but they will be travelling by train from Paddington. I'm hoping the train journey is safe. My parents don't live in the UK and are just visiting over the summer, so they do sometimes stand out more than me, DH and the kids.

TIA!

Weymouth is near where the Bibby Stockholm is.

I live within 30mins of the Lake District, there was a far right march in Lancaster only 60 people turned up and most of these were not local, and 500 turned up for stand up to racism. You will be absolutely fine in the Lakes tourists of every creed are there enjoying themselves. Go and have a great holiday.

Hi OP, I live in west Cornwall and work in tourism and, apart from the usual morons on social media, I haven't seen or heard of anything violent or unsafe. There are violent thuggish men everywhere sadly, but so far down here they have not been organised. I hope to God it stays this way. I have seen lots of Asian families this week enjoying their holidays as normal.

I hope you have a lovely holiday. I'm so sorry you even feel the need to ask this. What an awful state of affairs.

No! These things are confined to big cities and not all of them! I do think Cornwall will be perfectly safe....but probably very busy!

I’m so sorry the riots have left you feeling frightened in your own country; I felt the same as a Jewish person seeing all the pro Hamas sentiment in cities following 7/10 and I wouldn’t want any person to feel the same way. I think it’s imperative upon us not to let these people win. So you go on your holiday and enjoy yourselves!!!

hopefully the majority of those scum bags will be locked up by the time you travel.

Hi OP,

My partner and children are black and mixed race (I am white) and we are going to Cornwall on Saturday for two weeks. We go every year and honestly, I'm more worried about being shouted at for sitting on the 'locals' side of the beach as tourists (this happened 🤣) than I am about any actual racism. I might be wrong but the Cornish folk are lovely and they might get sick of tourists but that's tourists in general, they don't care what colour they are! Have a lovely holiday xxx

This.

I totally understand @ShouldICancel being worried - the fact that she is having to even think like this is indicative of the mess we are in ATM. I have Jewish friends who now will not wear anything which might be slightly indicative of their religion because they have been targeted by antisemites. Although in their case bizarrely it's the far left, not the far right, who are currently a threat.

No one should have to worry about being targeted because of their ethnicity just walking the streets on holiday, or doing the shopping.

@ShouldICancel I am so ashamed and sorry that you and others in similar situations are frightened to go on holiday. It's appalling

I'm Scottish and white, so I can't really comment with any authority - but I do agree that Cornwall ( or the lake district) really shouldn't have any problems at all. It's cities, with a large influx of immigrants/refugees ( legal or otherwise), with a lot of poverty in some areas and easy public transport options where these thugs can easily travel to - and escape from too, which are the targets of this dreadful behaviour.

You are more likely to be attacked by seagulls than rioters in Cornwal, honestly. I'm not joking.

🤣

I'm sure the OP wasn't thinking there would be riots in Cornwall, just that they were feeling a bit unsafe in case they faced hostility with all that's going on elsewhere.

As others have said, it's terrible that people have to take these things into consideration.

I hope you all have a lovely trip to St Ives.

I am also so sorry that this is something you are worrying about. X

Rain forecast from 8pm too - quite heavy from 9 ish - hopefully

@ShouldICancel I genuinely think in St Ives you will be safe- I would definitely avoid Plymouth though, there is unfortunately a far-right "protest" planned there tonight.

If it helps, last year when there were "protests" in Newquay against refugee housing, the local community turned out in huge numbers compared to the far right agitators, and massively outnumbered them.

I totally understand why you are concerned, but I honestly do think St Ives will be as safe as anywhere!

I actually can't believe what I'm reading

another Cornish resident here and it is all very quiet. It is very busy, as expected, but there really isn’t anything unpleasant going on. Such a shame to cancel your plans because of bigoted idiots.

It's not going to happen down here, you'll be fine.

Bother someone's sheep and there'll be hell up!!!

You will be fine in St Ives, the biggest issues you will face are finding a parking space and not getting your chips nicked by a seagull ! Have a lovely time

She’s not being completely ridiculous. I agree she’s probably going to be fine but Weymouth had issues just recently. Seaside towns that are deprived can have a lot of issues. It doesn’t take many people to start a riot.

😊definitely, I’m sure you’ll be absolutely fine, you may get stuck in a few traffic jams but that’s about it.
Come and enjoy a carefree holiday

Lived there for 30 years and it was often violent. I personally regularly witnessed riot vans lined up on Union Street at the weekends, and saw friends randomly attacked by groups of young men when walking through the town. There was also a huge amount of racism. Talking to people from elsewhere in Devon I was often told that Plymouth had a reputation. I can’t comment on what it is like now, but certainly in the past there was a lot of violence and bigotry.

@ShouldICancel please don’t bow down and cancel. As others have said it is awful you feel like this and I am also ashamed of anyone who makes anyone feel targeted. IF you cancel THEY have won. Don’t let them. The majority of people have more than enough common sense to see these rioters for what they are. They are not even certain what they are outraged about. Enjoy your trip.

I’m going to assume those who are saying @ShouldICancel is bonkers are white.

Yes, the riots probably won’t happen in Cornwall but I‘ve experienced racism when visiting smaller towns/villages as a mixed race woman. This has happened to be in Padstow with the classic “where are you from?”, London, “no, you aren’t from there, where are you from”, not asked out of interest but to assume I’m not British, despite being born here.

I would probably be more wary about going to these types of places whilst people are being more vocal with their racism.

Ratings out drinking, mostly.

you may get stuck in a few traffic jams but that’s about it.

Ah, chivvy cross, those were the days.