Why the Riots Mean That Nothing Will Be the Same Again
Conversations about the riots may seem a thing of the past for some. But, for many people of colour, this Summer was tinged with fear and a feeling that nothing would be the same again.
As a young, South Asian woman I have been fortunate to have felt safe in the country I have lived in all my life. However, living not too far from Southport, the initial disorder that broke out at the end of July made me unsettled in a way I had never felt before.
A threat was looming as riots were organised in my nearest city and towns. People were sent home early from my workplace to avoid riots taking place later that day.
However, my experience of the riots was nothing compared to the thousands of victims directly targeted by far-right groups.
The riots encapsulated the UK’s obsession with scapegoating in times of tragedy.
The murders of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar were one of, if not the most shocking and devastating story in Britain this year. Yet, it was only a couple of days before the headlines shifted.
Lies were spread online accusing the murderer of being an asylum seeker. Far-right groups took to apps like Telegram as forums to spread hate and organise violent disorder.
X posts accompanied this, flooded with rampant Islamaphobia, racism and calls for the deportation of immigrants.
The racists were no longer in hiding.
This did not happen in a vacuum. Britain’s political climate is fragile and has been for years. The general election saw Farage and Reform UK adding to the fire of anti-immigration rhetoric.
The irony, of course, is these thugs told us they were protecting Britain’s children, whilst actively causing violence in peaceful communities. Drunk and angry, rioters threw bricks at houses and Mosques, shouting abuse and fighting the police.
The vigil held for the three innocent lives lost was tainted with the disgusting behaviour of thugs and criminals. The news told stories of people barricading themselves into Mosques and homes, and videos of brown men being pushed and punched in the streets. I saw children shouting slurs and getting involved with the violence. Online there were images of towns, left destroyed as rioters took the last trains home.
Black and brown children, British-born or not, were made to feel unwelcome.
We witnessed the media’s battle between using the terms ‘thugs’, ‘rioters’ or ‘protesters’. I can’t help but laugh at the EDL being called ‘far-right protesters’ or worse, ‘activists’.
The murderer Axel Rudakubana was not an asylum seeker nor an immigrant. He was born and raised in Cardiff. But why does this matter anyway? Since when do we target whole races, ethnicities and groups for the crimes of one person?
At the heart of this tragedy is the systemic issue of violence against women and young girls.
This was not an issue of immigration, colour or religion, it is a continuation of an epidemic that all women are fighting against.
The EDL thugs do not care about protecting the women of this country, they care about instilling fear into the minority communities to retain their white supremacy.
An article by the Guardian found that on average, a woman has been killed by a man every three days over the last few years and by March this year, 50 women had been killed by men. This only counts cases where the man has been charged. The crime in Southport was especially sickening, a direct target on children dancing to their favourite artist.
Axel Rudakubana is a mass murderer and his fate now lies with the justice system. But we now have a chance to make a change, to stand up to these racists and genuinely protect the women and girls of this country.
Words by Ria Sharma
Guardian article: Killed women count: 50 women allegedly killed by men in UK so far in 2024 | Violence against women and girls | The Guardian
Cover photo credit: Clive Wren CC BY 2.0 via Flickr
