The Rise in Racial Tension and Growing Anti-immigration Sentiment in the United Kingdom

Author: Natalie Bello, PhD

November 26, 2025

Fanning the flames … clashes at an anti-migrant protest in Ballymena. Racist attacks have hit record levels in Northern Ireland. [Image credit: Charles McQuillan/Getty]

The United Kingdom has experienced another summer of anti-immigration protests and riots, which have continued into the fall. This escalation has led to an increase in racist attacks across the UK. For example, in York, “two Muslim men were attacked with tennis rackets and sticks and subjected to racist abuse” by a “group of 15 balaclava-clad youths on mountain bikes” (BBC, 2025). This is just one of several hate crime incidents that happened in June. This past August, two Sikh cab drivers were attacked in Wolverhampton, leaving one man with broken ribs and the second man needing hospital treatment for bruising (Fofana, 2025). 

In Bristol, a nine-year-old girl was shot with an airgun and subjected to racial slurs. The police are treating this attack as racially motivated. The Avon and Somerset Police have noted the increase in race-related hate incidents in recent years. For example, “in 2024, a total of 3,774 incidents were recorded, compared to 3,150 the previous year and 2,743 in 2022. So far this year, 2,563 such incidents have been logged” (Yhnell and De La Mare, 2025). The rise in racially motivated attacks has made migrants and minority communities, including UK citizens, feel increasingly anxious and concerned for their safety.

Across the UK, there have been demonstrations and counter-protests outside hotels accommodating asylum seekers (Yhnell and De La Mare, 2025). In September, a protester in the Scottish city of Falkirk threw a brick through the window of the Cladhan Hotel after weeks of tense demonstrations. It was discovered that one of the asylum seekers housed there was jailed in June for raping a 15-year-old girl in 2023 (Briggs, 2025). Anti-migrant protests have persisted in other cities, including Bristol, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Perth, with demonstrators claiming that asylum seekers pose a threat to women’s safety. 

Claims from these protestors that they are protecting women and children have been met with criticism from the End Violence Against Women Coalition. The coalition of 200 organizations across the UK have united to warn against “the weaponisation of violence against women and girls by far-right groups and mainstream politicians to further a racist, anti-migrant agenda” (End Violence Against Women Coalition, 2025). In August, a signed letter from the coalition was sent to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for urgent action against the weaponization of violence against women and girls and highlighting the false narratives about immigration that far-right groups and politicians are spreading.

Contrary to the protesters’ claims, violent incidents targeting women and girls reveal that the safety of women was never the true motive behind the anti-immigration demonstrations. For instance, in Dundee, three men filmed themselves abusing women who were providing free soup and sandwiches to asylum seekers in temporary accommodation. In a video shared with the Scottish news media website, The Ferret, men can be heard shouting “I’ll fucking assault you all…Go back to your own place you fucking cow” or “the police aren’t here to protect you now”(Briggs, 2025). In another incident this past September in the West Midlands, a Sikh woman reported that she was raped in a racially motivated attack. She claimed that the perpetrators told her, “You don’t belong in this country, get out” (Stavrou, 2025).

These violent incidents have continued to escalate. In early October, a car was driven into members of the public at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester. A member of the security team at the synagogue was stabbed by a suspected assailant, British citizen of Syrian descent, Jihad Al-Shamie, who was subsequently shot and killed by firearms officers (Wilkinson, Hag, Stockwell, and Regan, 2025). Two men were killed in the attack, and three other people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. While most reported incidents seem to target migrants and British citizens of Asian or African descent, hate crimes motivated by race and ethnicity appear to be occurring against all minority groups across the UK. Notably, the accident at the synagogue was followed by right-leaning newspapers quoting in their headlines that the attacker was “an Islamic terrorist”, helping to fuel the Islamophobia and racism that is overtaking the country (Ali, 2025). 

The increase in racial attacks and protests is connected to growing frustration with the UK government's handling of immigration, as well as a general disillusionment with political leaders and their ability to bring about positive change for citizens. Many people in Britain have faced challenges due to austerity, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Right-wing politicians and influencers have exploited this rising discontent to redirect that anger toward migrants. 

Ex-convict and far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson, real name Stephan Yaxley-Lennon, was released from prison this year and has been active on social media, often spreading false narratives about migrant populations in the UK. He led a "Unite the Kingdom" protest this September in London, which drew between 110,000 and 150,000 people (Aljazeera, 2025). Some demonstrators rioted, confronting officers and engaging in physical and verbal abuse that resulted in 26 police officers being injured (Aljazeera, 2025). Robinson and his guest speakers, which included billionaire Elon Musk via video link, French far-right politician Eric Zemmour, and Petr Bystron of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party promoted the idea that British culture is being eroded. They also preached about the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which claims that white Europeans are being intentionally replaced by non-white immigrants (Aljazeera, 2025).

In addition to Robinson's influence, Nigel Farage and his Reform UK political party have gained popularity. Farage is a far-right politician who has been making extreme, outlandish and xenophobic comments for decades (Hope Not Hate, 2024). He has used his political standing to spread conspiracy theories and misformation about minorities and migrant populations. The wave of displeasure with the current government and Farage’s success in the last general election has given him more agency to spread false narratives that embolden disenfranchised citizens.

The rise of racist and xenophobic attacks and protests presents a challenging time in the UK’s history that is reminiscent of racial tension in the 1970s. Not only are migrant populations being attacked, but UK citizens from diverse ethnic populations are also being victimized. The growing racial tension, misinformation from far-right leaders, and the inadequate response from the current Labour government and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have contributed to a sense that this movement is running unchecked (Elgot, Mason and Walker, 2025). Recent incidents of racism and xenophobia in the UK have violated both the European Convention on Human Rights and the UK's own hate crime laws. These actions pose serious risks to individuals, potentially resulting in harm or even death. As a consequence, communities are left terrified and increasingly divided.

Gary Younge, a professor of sociology at the University of Manchester, noted that, “One thing that differentiates this moment from others before it, where racial tension intermingled with xenophobia, is the global aspect of it. The same talking points about ‘the great replacement’ of ‘Indigenous’ white people, and the perceived threat to women in Europe, particularly from Black men, are showing up on my social media feeds and in discourse in the US, Ireland, the UK and across Europe,” Younge says. “They’re all feeding off each other” – even when the situations in these countries are not analogous.” (Malik, 2025).  However, Younge believes, “there is still resistance, and that’s an important thing to insist on” (Malik, 2025). Importantly, while political leaders may fall short in their efforts to end racist and xenophobic incidents and riots, ordinary people have stepped up to resist far-right groups, emphasizing the necessity of treating all individuals with respect and kindness, and this underscores the ability of everyday citizens to combat human rights violations.

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Glossary

• Anti-immigration - Anti-immigration is a political stance that opposes immigration and advocates for policies that restrict or reduce the number of immigrants that enter a country. Opposition can vary from supporting reforms that completely ban immigration to calls for the removal of immigrants. Reasoning behind these views often include concerns over economic impact, cultural integration, and national security. 

• Asylum Seekers - An asylum seeker is an individual who has left their home country in search of refuge in another country. People may flee their home country due to fear of persecution or significant human rights violations. An asylum seeker is not yet recognized as a refugee and is currently awaiting a decision on their asylum claim.

• Cost-of-Living Crisis - The UK's cost of living crisis refers to a period of falling incomes since late 2021, driven by high inflation peaking in October 2022. The rise in inflation and the lack of wage increases have led to higher prices for food, energy, and rent. Factors that have contributed to the crisis include the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the war in Ukraine. 

• European Convention on Human Rights - The European Convention on Human Rights is a treaty created by the Council of Europe to protect fundamental civil and political rights and freedoms across its 47 member states. Since 1950, this treaty has established legal commitments and standards of behavior for member governments to uphold and protect. Importantly, the UK is still a member despite leaving the European Union in 2020. 

• Great Replacement -The Great Replacement is a far-right, white nationalist conspiracy theory that falsely claims white populations in Western countries are being intentionally and systematically replaced by non-white immigrants by government elites and global institutions.

• Indigenous - Indigenous are people or items that are native or original to a particular place. When referring to people, it is often linked to the first-known inhabitants of a region with strong ancestral links to the land before colonization or the creation of current state boundaries.

• Islamophobia - Islamophobia is fear, prejudice, hatred, and discrimination against Islam or Muslim people. It can manifest as hostile attitudes and actions including verbal or physical abuse, stereotyping, media misrepresentation, and discriminatory actions. Islamophobia is often fueled by racial biases.

• Racial Slurs - A racial slur is language or behavior that is used with the intention to insult, degrade, or demean someone based on their race or ethnicity. Racial slurs often perpetuate harmful stereotypes and can be interpreted as racial harassment or discrimination.

• Race-related hate incidents - A race-related hate incident is an act of prejudice motivated by bias against a person's actual or perceived race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin. A hate incident does not involve a violent crime, threats of violence, or property damage that would lead to a criminal prosecution. Incidents can be verbal, physical (non-assaultive), or visual.

• Xenophobia - Xenophobia is the dislike, hatred or fear of someone from another country. It can manifest as hostility, discrimination or prejudice towards immigrants or members of another culture or religion. 

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References

1. Ali (2005). Governments don’t defeat racism. Ordinary people do. Available at: https://hyphenonline.com/2025/10/07/governments-dont-defeat-racism-ordinary-people-do/. 

2. Aljazeera (2025). Clashes in London as 110,000 join far-right rally against immigration: Far-right protesters clash with police, injuring 26 officers, four of them seriously. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/13/over-100000-attend-london-rally-led-by-far-right-activist-tommy-robinson. 

3. BBC News (2025). Attack is latest in series of race crimes - police. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq53zeqvv30o.

4. Briggs (2025). Scotland’s rising tide of racist violence: Threats, assaults, stabbings. Available at: https://theferret.scot/scotlands-rising-racist-violence/.

5. Elgot, Mason and Walker (2025). Starmer urged to do more to push back against ‘onslaught of racism’: Hope Not Hate writes letter to PM as senior Labour MPs call for party to take firmer stand against far right. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/12/starmer-hope-not-hate-letter-racism-far-right.

6. Fofana (2025). Racism and hate crimes 'no longer a fringe issue'. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6rk1zkv1o. 

7. Hope Not Hate (2024). What You Need to Know About Nigel Farage. Available at: https://hopenothate.org.uk/2024/09/24/everything-you-need-to-know-farage/. 

8. Malik (2025). Why this moment of rightwing racism feels so different – and how we can resist it. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/sep/10/rightwing-racism-whitelash-riots-uk-gary-younge. 

9. Stavrou (2025). Sikh woman raped in ‘brutal and racist’ attack speaks out: The Sikh Federation UK alleged that the perpetrators told the woman ‘You don’t belong in this country, get out’. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sikh-woman-rape-racist-oldbury-b2826234.html. 

10. The End Violence Against Women Coalition (2025). Not In Our Name. Available at: https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/100-womens-rights-groups-warn-against-racist-weaponisation-of-vawg/.

11. Wilkinson, Hag, Stockwell, and Regan (2025). A deadly car ramming and stabbing attack took place outside a synagogue in northern England. Here’s what we know. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/02/uk/uk-synagogue-attack-manchester-intl. 

12. Yhnell and De La Mare (2025). Fears city 'going backwards' amid racial tension. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8jz8q6jejo.