In Middlesborough, 300 far-right protestors marched towards the city’s cenotaph carrying a sign that read: “Tom Jones is Welsh, Axel Rudakubana isn’t.”
However, Anti-racism counter-demonstrators were on the streets of Cardiff for the second successive day on Sunday, as the anti-immigrant groups threatened to hold another protest in the Welsh capital.
On Saturday what was described as a ‘vigil’ following the horrific murders in Southport last Monday, was attended by a small number of right-wing extremists, while an estimated 400 people staged a counter-demonstration outside the Senedd.
“We have to do more than just counter-protest against whoever turns up, we need to put forward an alternative, a positive alternative.” said one anti-far-right protestor.
Today, outside Cardiff Library at 3.55pm, there was tension in the air.
Scenes of violence in Rotherham and Middlesborough were perhaps heavy in the minds of onlookers.
But by 4.01 the tension had all but disappeared. It was clear there was going to be a protest, but not a violent one.
Instead, people held banners calling for unity and respect for all.
One anti-racism campaigner said: “We’re here to take a stand against racism, but also against the causes of racism.”
He offered words of sympathy and condolence to the families affected by the Southport killings but pointed out that: “There’s an attempt by certain people on shall we say the far-right of the political spectrum to exploit that tragedy for political gain.”
One placard read: “Be sad, be angry, just don’t be racist.”
As the afternoon wore on, the counter-protest outside the library grew to a similar size as the day before at the Senedd.
Again, the far-right presence was deterred, but not entirely extinguished with a handful of men loitering around the fringes of the demo.
The chant from the counter-protestors rang out loud and clear:
“We are many, you are few.
“We are Cardiff, who are you?”
In Middlesborough, Cleveland Police have said “a number of arrests” have been made. While in Rotherham South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has promised they will: “Come after those carrying out this violence with the full force of the law.”
