In planning my next blog post I had thought I would discuss something around race, equality, and diversity. In connection with this I was looking at the social media reactions to Simone Biles’ achievements in the gymnastics, and the hate she receives online. One example being that despite winning gold medals some people on social media thought the issue of her hair being slightly out of place during her performances was the more important factor to comment upon. I was going to write about her experiences of trauma and how harmful the online hate must be to someone with her ongoing mental health struggles. I was also going to look at how racialised the online hate towards her is. However, whilst that may be for another blog at another time, it has been overtaken in my mind by what has been happening in the UK over the last week. A small segment of the population has been holding violent protests about immigration and targeting asylum seekers, mosques and community services, with shops being looted and a library set on fire. unrest was apparently triggered by the violent murder last week of three little girls in Southport, by a man with a knife. Several others were seriously injured in the attack on a summer holiday dance class for children. Violent thugs decided this was reason enough to protest about immigration despite knowing nothing of the background of the assailant. Misinformation spread rapidly online after the murders suggesting the assailant was a Muslim who had arrived in the UK by boat in 2023, when in reality it has since emerged that he was born in the UK to parents of Rwandan origin and has no links to Islam or any terrorist organisations. The truth is, no-one knows why this attack happened, but it has been used as an excuse for violent racists to unleash a series of attacks on entirely innocent, peaceful people.
I cannot imagine what it feels like to be a Muslim, an alum seeker or a black or brown person in the UK right now. Seeing the level of hatred and violence bubbling so close to the surface of society is truly disturbing to the majority of UK citizens, but most of all to those who might easily be targeted by these violent acts. Colleagues of mine of Asian origin, or with family members of non-white ethnic origins have expressed their fear and sense of vulnerability. But why is this happening?
As long as I can remember there has been a racist element in UK society. I recall National Front marches and protests when I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s. I have read about Nazi sympathisers during the second world war. If we go back further than that we have the whole of white supremacy, the Empire and slavery to contend with. We have never been a very equal society and attitudes to the non-white global majority have always been highly questionable at least among a proportion of white western society. For much of my life though that has felt like a side show, an unruly element that I could largely ignore, a bunch of extremists who would never gain real traction, surely? I think I may have been naive.
Over the last several years of Tory Government, I have become increasingly concerned at the casual racism of some of those that hold high office. Brexit was largely sold to the public as a way to stop immigration with the right wing press scapegoating “immigrants” for everything that the general public were struggling with: interest rate rises - blame the immigrants; economic downturns - blame the immigrants; cost of living crisis - blame the immigrants; NHS waiting times - blame the immigrants! The lie that the NHS is overwhelmed by demand from immigrants was put about as part of the argument for Brexit, when in fact the clamp down on immigration resulting from Brexit has caused a staffing crisis of unbelievable proportions due to our longstanding reliance on highly skilled healthcare staff from overseas. Lies being put about by mainly middle-aged and older, white men in suits have inflamed the frustrations of people whose lives have been negatively impacted by the cost of living crisis and nearly a decade and a half of cuts to public services under the Tories. This narrative has given permission for thinly veiled racism to be unleashed in a terrifying way that should not be tolerated in any modern society.
I am pleased to see that already the violent protesters are facing the full force of the law and some have already been jailed. I hope this will deter further violence. I am also heartened to see reports of counter protests - peaceful gatherings of anti-racists, by far outnumbering the far right mobs that have gathered. Groups of people coming together to clear up the mess and repair the damage caused by the violence show there is hope and that this violence is coming from a minority and that it will not be tolerated in our multicultural towns and cities. However, we cannot be complacent. This week has shown the strength of anger and frustration in some communities and how dangerous that can be. I hope that now our attention can be focused on rebuilding communities, investing in local services, and building bridges to support all members of society. I hope that those who incited this violence from positions in high office will be brought to account and shown very firmly that there is no room for this kind of behaviour in our society.
YW
The EMDR Coach www.catalystclinpsy.co.uk
Bringing quality trauma therapy to the world through delivering therapy, clinical supervision, teaching and training.
Understand and overcome trauma with my self-help book Coping with Trauma. Drawing as much on my own personal as well as professional experience of trauma to help those struggling with trauma and those helping and guiding them.
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