Thousands attend anti-racism marches across UK to face down far-Right

Anti-racism campaigners took to the streets on Saturday in an attempt to face down the far-Right. The day’s protests began in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens, where crowds turned out holding home made placards reading ‘Salfordians Welcome Refugees’, ‘Grannies for love not hate’ and ‘Racists not welcome’. The crowd chanted “grieving families are in pain, no to violence in their name” in a reference to the killings of three girls at a dance class in Southport on July 29, which sparked widespread riots across the UK. Counter-protesters had hoped for a repeat of the large numbers which gathered on Wednesday over fears of more disorder from far-Right agitators. In Newcastle city centre a large crowd of anti-racism protesters, numbering several hundred, vastly outnumbered a handful of far right supporters. Police lines formed a barrier between the two groups, near The Gate shopping centre, with reinforcements parked up on side streets in case of any clashes. In Scotland h