Since July 30, 2024, several British cities and towns have witnessed a wave of far-right violence described as the worst since World War II. This unrest followed the killing of three girls in a knife attack at a children’s party in Southport, northwest Britain. The violence has involved various criminal and provocative actions, showing a degree of coordination and anti-immigration and anti-minority sentiment across the UK. This reflects the British far-right’s ability to employ and even develop its traditional tools according to the context and available resources.
Traditional Tools:
Examining the direct involvement of the far-right in the current unrest necessitates considering some traditional tools they have long used to achieve their goals of spreading influence. These tools reflect the far-right’s strategy based on political, societal, and technological changes. The following outlines these tools:
Protests and Public Demonstrations: The far-right in Britain has relied on public gatherings and demonstrations as a primary tactic since the second half of the last century. Groups like the “National Front” in the 1970s and the “British National Party” in the 1980s and 1990s frequently organized marches and protests in cities and towns across the UK. The “English Defence League,” established in 2009, continued this tradition by organizing anti-Islam protests in cities with Muslim populations. These gatherings often featured speeches inciting hatred against immigration, multiculturalism, and alleged threats to “British values.” Participants would carry banners with slogans like “Britain First” or “Stop the Islamization of Britain,” leading to clashes with anti-fascist groups and the police.
Propaganda and Recruitment Strategies: Propaganda has always been a cornerstone of far-right activities in Britain. Historically, far-right groups have used various methods to spread their propaganda, such as distributing leaflets, putting up posters in public places, and using mail to send newsletters to supporters. These materials often contained exaggerated or false claims intended to stir resentment and dissatisfaction towards minorities. This propaganda was effective in spreading far-right ideas at the grassroots level, especially in areas suffering from economic hardships or demographic changes. The narrative often blamed societal and economic problems on “foreigners,” promoting the belief that returning to traditional British values was the best solution.
Violence and Intimidation: British far-right groups have resorted to violence and intimidation as part of their tactics to spread fear among minorities and demonstrate their willingness to act according to their beliefs. Violent actions typically ranged from assaults on individuals seen as “enemies,” such as immigrants or political opponents, to vandalizing properties associated with minorities, like places of worship or shelters. In some cases, the far-right has been involved in more organized and deadly attacks, such as the 1999 London bombings carried out by neo-Nazi David Copeland, targeting black and Asian communities.
Political Participation: Alongside their street activities, some far-right groups have sought to gain political power through legitimate means, either by forming political parties or integrating into other parties. The British National Party, under figures like John Tyndall and Nick Griffin, sought political legitimacy by running in local and national elections, focusing on issues like immigration, crime, and the European Union. In some cases, far-right activists joined other political parties, such as the Conservative Party, to try to shift policies toward more nationalist and anti-immigration stances. Far-right political parties in Britain have achieved limited electoral success, occasionally winning seats in local councils and the European Parliament. Although their political presence remains marginal, it has forced other parties to address issues like immigration more effectively.
Alternative Media: The far-right in Britain has traditionally used its own media to counter mainstream media, which often portrays them negatively. This includes magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Publications like the “Voice of Freedom,” issued by the British National Party, provided far-right activists with a platform to express their views on topics like race, immigration, and national identity. These publications were often sold at gatherings, through mail, or in specific stores supporting far-right causes. These media outlets played a crucial role in supporting far-right movements, especially before the internet era.
New and Old Approaches:
Recent estimates and literature tracking British far-right activities in recent years indicate that they have adopted new ways to engage and operate outside traditional organizational structures and formal hierarchies. These now include methods that prioritize riots and the flow of information. Applying this to the recent events in Britain, the far-right’s response to the tragic stabbing incident in Southport can be understood as follows:
Exploiting Social Media: The British far-right effectively used social media platforms to spread misinformation and incite content related to the current unrest. By distorting facts and framing the riots as evidence of societal collapse due to immigration and multiculturalism, they amplified fears and anxiety among the British public. They falsely claimed that the perpetrator of the girls’ attack was a Muslim asylum seeker named Ali Al-Shakati, who had arrived in the UK by boat across the English Channel. This narrative, widely and quickly spread across both real and fake accounts, attracted new supporters to the far-right cause. Known far-right figures like Tommy Robinson also contributed by spreading misinformation and inciting the far-right supporters to escalate the violence.
Positioning Themselves as Defenders of National Identity: Far-right groups portrayed the riots as a result of failed immigration policies and increasing multiculturalism, which they claim have eroded the fabric of British society. This narrative presents the far-right as the protectors of traditional British values and the only political force willing to take a stand against the threats posed by immigration.
Organizing and Mobilizing Through Encrypted Channels: Amid the escalating violence, far-right groups turned to encrypted messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp to organize and coordinate their activities. These platforms offer a safer environment for planning and communication, allowing them to bypass security efforts to track far-right accounts on social media. Through these channels, far-right groups could mobilize supporters and direct them to specific locations for protests or violent actions, giving them a tactical advantage during the riots.
Exploiting Public Fear and Frustration: Far-right elements exploited the fear and frustration of citizens in communities directly affected by the riots. By highlighting cases of violence and chaos, they sought to create a sense of crisis, claiming that they alone could address it. This exploitation of fear helped rally support among those who felt the British government was not doing enough to protect society. The far-right’s ability to amplify and inflame these sentiments has contributed to increased division and polarization within society, making it easier to promote their extreme agenda.
Potential Risks:
The current violence and the far-right’s tools revealed in this context highlight several risks that could influence the far-right’s future actions:
Increased Coordination: Far-right groups are likely to continue developing more sophisticated methods for organizing and executing their activities, including enhanced coordination through encrypted communications, continued exploitation of social media, and collaboration with regional far-right networks. This will make the British far-right’s movements more effective and harder to predict and counter.
Normalization of Extremist Discourse: If far-right groups gain visibility and influence, their discourse may become more normalized in mainstream conversations. This relates to their ability to exploit social media and political and social grievances to influence public opinion, creating a polarized society where far-right ideologies become widely accepted or integrated.
Increased Use of Misinformation and Propaganda: Far-right groups are also likely to continue using misinformation and propaganda to manipulate public perception and stir public discontent. This could include spreading false narratives, fake news, or conspiracy theories to amplify their message and rally as many supporters as possible. Such tactics could undermine trust in British democratic institutions, fuel further division within society, and make addressing the root causes of extremism more difficult.
Enhancing Far-Right Electoral Appeal: It is not unlikely that British far-right groups will try to capitalize on the current events to mobilize a segment of the British electorate that feels marginalized or neglected by mainstream political parties. This could help the far-right gain a voter base in areas and cities opposed to current policies on addressing certain economic and social issues, potentially boosting their chances in the upcoming general elections.
In conclusion, the current violence in Britain reveals a shift in British far-right tactics, making them more organized and influential. While the British voting system, which operates on a “First-past-the-post” basis, makes it difficult for many small parties to achieve positive election results and only allows them to build a supportive base for their ideology and practices, the recent unrest may indicate the formation of a strategy by the British far-right to act in a calculated and consistent manner in the coming years. By the next general election, in about five years, British right-wing parties may have established among British voters, through the use of their tools on social media or through protests, a narrative that explicitly focuses on immigration and multiculturalism as threats to British cultural identity—a narrative that may resonate with large segments of the British population if internal crises related to irregular migration escalate.
In this context, it is likely that the British government, led by Keir Starmer, will move to undermine the far-right’s appeal and limit its ability to organize, mobilize, and spread within British society, either through effectively addressing the issues that drive its support, particularly immigration, or through launching strict and intensive security and social campaigns against far-right activities.
