Is the current rioting in the UK linked to Gaza?

[mids2019]

Although the Southport killings were the trigger for rioting in the UK has the focused attention on Gaza including mass marches lead to a new sectarianism in the UK? I am not condoning mindless thuggery in any way but do we now have a situation where mainly Muslim Gaza supporters "squaring off' with EDL/extreme reform types.

How do you balance the right to expression and to assemble with what is becoming a challenging police operarion?

I don't think it's anything to do with what's happening in Gaza.

Other reasons but not gaza

No.

Very little to do with Gaza

No.

It's not even about those children. (Not that it would be ok if it was)

It's about violent thugs being delighted they have what they see as a reason to get out there and hurt people and smash things up.

They'll be the same people you see in mobs of football hooligans. Who aren't doing their violence for the football either.

I agree it's all violent thuggery. My thought that inflamed opinion on Gaza has brought some divides in UK society into focus. There were Paelatinian flags used by counter prtestors in the riots as symbolism of anti Islam hate.

No

None of those idiots look politically engaged its just an excuse for trouble
So no

I think it might be related for the counter protestors, but not for the thugs, no. They just want a fight and they don't like brown people.

No, It doesn't have anything to do with Gaza.
There might be some Muslims squaring off to the rioters, but have you considered it may have to do with thugs vowing to attack muslims and other minorities?
In Middlesbrough, I saw a video of a group of thugs stopping cars to check if the person inside was white before letting them drive away. So no, I don't think that has anything to do with Gaza.

The riots seem very similar to the Dublin riot . The rioters harnessed disenfranchised locals in poor areas that were home to a lot of migrants- the majority of the latter low paid workers. It was triggered by an attack on a group of white kids by a mentally unstable migrant who’d been living here for years. However, the “protesters” had their posters printed and were out within a few hours, before the details of the nature of the attack was known so it was far from spontaneous. Initially it seemed that right wing actors based in the US had been key but during the week there have been intimations that Russia may be involved,. This seems bizarre but the current riots do seem like a sinister effort to destabilise the UK.

So maybe linked linked to the Middle East conflicts in a broad way

The only gaza they recognise is an aging football player.

Please stop being goady.

This is hatred and overt violence, primarily but not solely directed at ethnic minorities and people who practise Islam.

Perhaps, rather than making comments that really do come across as victim blaming, you could try having so concern and compassion for the innocent people being attacked and threatened, the families in fear for their children's safety, and the brave police officers and other emergency responders who are placing themselves in harm's way by standing up for law and order against these violent racist thugs.

No I don’t think so. It is linked to being British and Xenophobia, and Islamophobia that was there before Gaza.

I think a stand should be made against the thugs that are spouting anti Semitic and Islamaphobic nonsense.

Maybe the xenophobia can be a uniting place for Jews and Muslims in the UK against xenophobia in general. We should feel common bonds as a nation for all faiths and ethnicities.

I think they are linked indirectly, to the extent that many people were concerned about the pro-Gaza demonstrations but were not openly able to express that concern. This does feed the far right agenda and contributes to the narrative of the ‘protesting’ thugs that British values need to be protected.

I also think the behaviour of some Muslim political candidates in the recent election has fed into that narrative, ie stating the election was for Gaza rather than the interests of the local British communities.

I absolutely do not condone the rioting btw.

I don't think they are connected in an obvious, causal sense. But the UK has witnessed a lot of antisemitism over the past few months and arguably that has been a sign of things to come. Antisemitism is often a sign of trouble brewing for other minorities.

Don't talk BS and don't try to stir it either. There were months of peaceful protests for Gaza and I think that actually winds up racists because they'd like to paint Muslims as the bad guys.

I don't believe it's related at all.
I don't think many int he UK are very engaged with the issues in Gaza. Its very similar to the constant wars that have occurred through the world for decades.

This is it's own thing. It's been brewing for a long time. It's what gave way to Brexit and the rise of Farage.

I agree with this.

My heart sank when I saw the anti-racism posters waving Palestinian flags. People insist on conflating very different issues.

I think it only connects in the sense that many of the people involved in protesting against Israel's actions are the same people who will mobilise against this sort of behaviour. As well they should.

I'm Jewish and it's depressing that some of these right wing extremists were, as seen at Tommy Robinson's gathering in Trafalgar Square a few weeks ago, waving Israel flags, not because they care about Jewish people but because they now see it as a symbol of justified Islamophobia.

This is why I am attending a meeting about responding to a planned fascist action at nearby immigration-related office in my neighbourhood. Sadly I know a pogrom when I see one.

I do think there is a risk of conflation if the Palestinian flag is used as a counter protest. The correct counter protest is either the display of the England flag or Union flag by those counter protectors as it simply says we are all British and this is our flag independent if ethnicity or faith.

The introduction of the Palestinian flag as a pp states introduces a sectarian element that needn't be there.

There is a concern by all for good community relations.

Agree it's concerning if people are displaying the Palestinian flag at counter protests - it's irrelevant and potentially divisive. I stand with British Muslims and other minority groups targeted by these far right thugs. I suspect I would disagree on some subjects with anyone moved to wave a Palestinian flag but that's a separate argument. These meatheads need putting back in their place and as Jews and Muslims we need to stand together on this.

@Crocosmia74

I agree. There should be unity against xenophobia and the image of someone doing a Hitler salute while voicing anti Islam hate speech surely shows a call for unity from both groups of British society

Oh ffs. More goady bs. So we're blaming those who protest against genocide for the far right rioting and being the shits that they are? Wtf am I reading on mumsnet these days?

I think people are saying there should be a united front against xenophobia. In the UK there may be more to unite Jew and Muslim that divides them.

Therr may be concern about foreign conflicts but surely we should be looking at social cohesion as a whole

Who has said this?