UK disorder: Thousands of counter-protesters rally after riots

In Liverpool, hundreds of people gathered outside an asylum services office, whose windows had been boarded up as a precaution, to support refugees and immigrants.

Outside Accrington town hall in Lancashire, about 100 people gathered, with one man holding a megaphone saying everyone was welcome. One verified video on social media showed pubgoers embracing Muslims on the town’s streets.

“It was a pure expression of solidarity and support,” said Haddi Malik, 25, who lives in nearby Manchester and took the video.

In Southampton, between 300 and 400 people assembled at Grosvenor Square, chanting “racists go home” and “racism off our streets”.

About 10 anti-immigration protesters also arrived in the area, with the two groups kept apart by police. One arrest was made.

A brief scuffle between protesters and counter-protesters was reported in Aldershot, prompting police officers to move in to separate the two sides.

In Portsmouth, about 200 anti-immigration protesters gathered outside a building used by the immigration service and repeatedly disrupted traffic by standing in the road. One person was arrested.

In Tamworth, about four miles from where a mob attacked a hotel housing asylum seekers on Sunday, 30 to 40 people gathered at a location listed as a place of possible protest.

One had a banner which read “Stop the Invasion”. As of 20:30 the protest was peaceful, and there were no counter-protesters.

The anti-racism protest in North Finchley – an area with a sizeable Jewish population – did attract some criticism.

The local MP, Sarah Sackman, wrote on X that constituents had shared posts related to a group behind the counter-demonstration which she described as “clearly antisemitic”. She said she had reported the posts to the police.

Ms Sackman added: “Whether it’s the far-right or the far-left there can be zero tolerance for antisemitism, Islamophobia or racism in any form.”