May I post here re the current riots? I'm scared.

[IncompleteSenten]

I am white and my husband is black. We have 2 sons. My eldest son is at uni in Sheffield and I am frightened. I've pleaded with him to work from home rather than use the uni library right now.

I know if I post in the main mumsnet section I'll be told I'm ridiculous, people aren't racist, the UK doesn't have a problem, blah blah blah but I'm NOT. People ARE and the UK HAS!

I feel that my family is less safe here than I ever thought possible and me and my husband don't know what best to say to our children.

I would just like to say to any other white people who might read this, if you want to post to tell me that it's not a problem and I'm seeing things that aren't there and my sons are safe etc, don't bother. I don't want to hear white denial of racism and threats, I really don't and if that sounds aggressive, that's just tough.

@Mycatsmudge

Is this who you are on about?

An anti-racist group who are chasing away the thugs and making the streets safe for innocent people??

https://news.sky.com/video/anti-racist-activists-chase-far-right-protesters-away-from-a-mosque-in-middlesbrough-13191104

There are several groups like this but you have somehow deemed these (brown skinned) men just as bad as the thugs who are doing the rioting.

There is absolutely not 2 sides to this riot.
You need to educate yourself before making such pathetic statements.

Good on these men.
I applaud them.

Why do you need this?

That confused the heck out of me! :D
I had a look on active and there's a should I cancel my holiday to Cornwall thread. I assume that's the one you've confused with me?

That's not me.
I also hope they get to enjoy their holiday though.

I’m white, living in an area that’s had an influx of refugees settle here a couple of years ago. I see the racism they experience, I hear the shit that’s being said. It’s worse than ever this week and I’m scared for them and our community.

Ah. As long as it's not sealioning, bc on a thread like this, that would be the height of insensitivity.

I think you are safe here op. The majority of people in the UK are not remotely racist. The rioting is about poverty, loss of living standards and the possibility of unlimited immigration, it is not about you and your family in my view.

I appreciate it must feel frightening. We are going through very difficult times as a country. I hope you feel supported on MN and elsewhere.

I was going out to lunch and meeting my family in a restaurant on London Road in Sheffield. They were walking past Highfields library as I drove past, If anyone knows Sheffield they will know these locations . I’m not going to be taking photos while I’m driving. Since a lot of people are in denial about this I’ll not going to argue the toss but I know what I saw.

Yes a large portion of the population are racist . Look at the Reform vote .

You can't even describe the riots accurately, so how can anyone take your reassurances seriously?

I'm sorry you're going through this op.

Yes, throw in the R word to stop the discussion. This is how the grooming gangs managed to go about their business unheeded for so long because no one wanted to be seen to be racist especially those in authority such as the police and politicians

You're the one on here, in this subforum, trying to stop a discussion about racism and fear of racist attacks.

Wind your neck in.

This is black Mumsnet so as black people, especially women we are allowed to the discuss racism we receive in British society and elsewhere.

If you don't like it then FO.

Get you!

FYI I’m not white

@Mycatsmudge this is a safe place for the OP Why are you trying to derail the thread?

Actually it is.

People particularly white people can't distinguish who is Muslim or not, that someone like Ella Kissi-Debrah's mum is British born, and if you send Sir Lenny Henry home he would go to Dudley.

You haven't said you are black.

And as a black, brown or other person of the global majority you should be ashamed of yourself for stating discussing racism on a forum for black people is stopping the discussion.

I'm mixed race and my DC is also mixed race but they are 'luckily' white passing.
I say luckily because they can carry on as normal while I am keeping a low profile and working from home. Have been escaping mixed race areas in London to socialise at the weekend. But really upset that racism is so dominate in our society. I remember the kid I was thinking those people were dinosaurs, can't believe they are still here and having such an impact on UK life.

Have you checked what services and facilities would be available for someone with autism in Kenya?

Also have you considered as your sons are adults and are able to attend university they may refuse to relocate with you.

The discussion here is about racism. Naming it is not stopping the discussion I am trying to have. It's literally the subject of this discussion. Your shoehorning the "grooming gangs" here is offensive and inappropriate. I am talking about fearing for my sons safety.

There's fuck all here now tbh and likely to be about half that much in the future. At least in Kenya we've got a huge number of family members and friends, a family home and family land that will provide for us. We are practically alone here. when me and my husband are dead if our sons were still in the UK they would have nobody left here. I don't trust the UK to take care of them. My youngest son is severely disabled and will never be able to live independently. In Kenya his cousins will always be there to support and protect him.
They are both quite happy to go where we think is best. I can't know if that will change in the future but for now they have no objections to relocating.

I also think there are people who live in overwhelmingly white areas who believe it doesn't happen because they don't see it on their doorstep or on the front page of their local paper. Bluntly, they only know white people and never hear first hand experiences of racism. They live in nice little bubbles of comfortable ignorance, and they're very happy with that.

Your view is quite clearly wrong. What you describe is one of the root causes of the disaffection amongst the rioters. However, it is quite clearly about racism. Did you miss the guys with swastika tattoos doing nazi salutes? Did you miss what they were daubing on the walls? It is pure racism. We can discuss the inflammatory factors - social media, Russian bots and dog whistle polititians and media. However, it is manifesting itself in pure and simple racism.

I'm pretty certain that if I spoke to these people they wouldn't want to deport me. However, I have exactly the same background as many of the people they hate. My parents were economic migrants to this country. You know why I'm not a target? I have white skin. So now tell me it's not racist.

Whilst you can say the majority of people are not racist, there are certainly a lot of people who hold some pretty racist views deep down. You only have to look at Mumsnet to see how people are 'grouped' and 'othered'. Spoiler, people of the Islamic faith are not a homogenous group who all hold the same views and behave the same. I know many people who would be horrified if you suggested they had racist views yet they continue to call the people in our area who follow the Muslim faith as 'they' and 'them' rather than seeing each as an individual.

Dear OP, I truly understand your concerns. You certainly would not want to be a young man of colour innocently wandering into a tense situation. Keep your son safe and hopefully things will die down soon. And, hopefully, they will actually do something about the people who, in my opinion, have blood on their hands for lighting the blue touch paper on this.

Now, I'll butt out because I've done something that would really annoy me. I've lobbed my, probably ignorant, white woman opinions into a place where clearly most people have far more understanding than me. Sorry Black Mumsnetters.