Last summer, the Southport murders sparked ‘violent, racist, Islamophobic and anti-migrant attacks around the UK’. How to prevent repeated mistakes, and to prepare communities in case such rioting happens again? That’s the subject of a report by VCS (Voluntary and Community Sector) Emergencies Partnership.
As Robyn Knox, director of the partnership, says in a foreword to the document: “Fear and violence spread rapidly, with the targeting of Muslims, refugees and people of colour in towns and cities across the country leaving people traumatised and afraid to leave their homes. With tensions and emotions high, hatred was normalised in conversations on social media, between individuals and in public spaces, turning places of refuge and safety into battlegrounds. We witnessed the widespread impact of these events and saw this wasn’t just about those directly targeted – it affected every corner of society.”
Hence the VCS Emergencies Partnership, which connects voluntary, community and public sector partners, worked with Neighbourly Lab, to find out ‘what helped communities feel safer’, in a project funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). One finding was that ‘the riots highlighted the necessity of having trustworthy, supportive and wide-reaching information sources’.
To recap, in late July and early August, the extreme right clashed with police outside Downing Street, in central London; and rioted and looted in Belfast, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Hull, Tamworth (pictured), Blackpool and Plymouth to name only a few places; besides Southport. While the days left some feeling vulnerable, the report points out that some people felt strongly that they didn’t want their area to be tainted by the far-right hate and violence; and worked to de-escalate tensions. Numerous places saw anti-racist demonstrations.
The report suggests five ways to build resilience in case of future such riots: make connections across organisations of whatever size and sector; leaders likewise should know who each other are, so as to work together lead and lead any response and recovery; know what places and spaces are open to everyone, including those targets for rioters; tell apart ‘trusted communication channels’ from (online) disinformation; and make use of ‘unofficial leaders’. Crisis management plans ought to make, and keep up to date, a map of local spaces and businesses that are designated as safe for vulnerable residents, the report spells out.
The report sets out how responses to the rioting included WhatsApp messaging shared via the BID (Business Improvement District); police liaising with mosques. The study found that in some places ‘information sharing was disjointed, slow to ‘catch up’ with what was happening in real time and it felt impossible to myth-bust’, which left locals open to being misinformed by false claims online, even fake videos, of attacks on mosques or people; or claims of far-right protests, that might influence young people in particular to turn violent. Some trusted messages from community groups more than the authorities.
About the partnership
Briefly, it dates from 2018 and was prompted by the July 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower, west London. It’s hosted by the British Red Cross as a network of charity, local government and other community networks, sharing good practice. It’s worked during covid; and in winter storms. Visit https://www.vcsep.org.uk/.
