UK Terror Report: Anti-immigration in the UK

As of August 2024, the UK’s terror threat level remains at “substantial”, indicating that an attack is likely, with global conflicts and rising unrest continuing to increase the threat of violence.

In the UK, anti-immigration sentiment is on the rise with new data provided by advocacy group, Hope not Hate, stating that the number of anti-migrant demonstrations in 2023 were 13x higher than in 2022.

Although migration is a controversial subject and was a key flashpoint in the recent UK general election and within politics, there is a growing concern that far-right groups are utilising anti-immigration sentiment as a way to promote their ideologies. We have witnessed multiple incidents in which far-right groups have capitalised on local issues to advance their nationalist agenda, which often results in violence towards minority groups.

Case Study: Southport Riots

While knife crime has been on the rise, mass attacks remain rare. However, the incident in Southport on 29 July 2024 demonstrates how quickly false narratives online can trigger significant unrest across the country.

After the stabbing of multiple children by a 17 year-old boy in Southport, which was quickly noted by the police as not terror related, a peaceful vigil turned into chaos as a large-scale riot broke out on the streets.

Despite this clarification, misinformation spread rapidly on social media, falsely alleging that the attacker was an asylum seeker. This narrative was propagated by far-right groups and amplified by influential figures, such as Tommy Robinson, leading to violent riots. Rioters, fueled by misinformation, chanted anti-immigration and Islamophobic slogans before targeting a mosque with bricks and other items, whilst worshippers had barricaded themselves in.

Download the full report at the top of the page.