I’m writing on Thursday morning. Last night there was a lot of nervousness about potential further riots and disturbances around the country. I’m encouraged that the night seems to have passed off fairly peacefully. I’m not sure though that I share the optimism of the media or Christian leaders that a far right mob was turned around by the massed gatherings of counter protestors.
Here’s why. I personally was sceptical about the extent to which we were going to see the kind of gatherings and potential violence that was being predicted last night. There were lots of rumours being stoked up on social media. However, first of all, there tends to be a pattern of how summers of unrest and violence erupt and then peter down again when you look back historically. In fact, we might also observe that there is a cyclical pattern of this kind of unrest happening roughly every decade. With apologies to those wanting to enjoy some holiday sunshine, I’m praying for a good downpour which will no doubt be the best way to cool hot heads and send protestors home.
Secondly, I am not convinced that the far right have either the strength in numbers nor the kind of organisational skill to carry out the kind of operation that was being predicted. They may have been able to stir the pot on social media and play into the prejudices and fears of many people. To that extent, they have been somewhat aided by the very same traditional media that welcomed Wednesday’s calm.
It is disquieting to see the same newspapers that have been stirring up fear and envy for some time over immigration and asylum now seeking to share in the credit and glory for those who have sought to cause mayhem being quelled. I wonder to what extent, presenting the trouble as “far right” as Britain united against it plays into the same pseudo-patriotic imagery. There’s something perceived as “not very British” about both far left and far right extremism. So, even if those agitating were British, then, especially if foreign state players were perceived to be involved in stirring up trouble, fascism may be presented as an alien ideology.
Incidentally, on a side note, I think it is telling that the areas where the worst of the trouble has happened are not those places that have experienced serious levels of mass immigration and are now multi-cultural. I wonder to what extent that reflects the way in which traditional and social media along with certain politicians have been able to stir up fear by creating myths about asylum seekers.
So, my prayer has been that truth and light will triumph over darkness, fear, rumours and lies -from whatever source those rumours are coming. I don’t think it was helpful for people to be putting rumours about concerning where and when demonstrations were taking place. The far right didn’t show up and probably never were going to. Actually, that’s a good thing because if they had shown up in numbers, then those who had encouraged large crowds of counter protestors onto the streets would have made things worse, especially with, as we’ve seen the counter protests including both peaceful people wanting to make a stand and vigilantes and those with their own ideological agendas.
Nor, frankly, do I think that our political establishment have helped much. The Prime Minister putting the emphasis on far right agitators was I believe a miscalculation for three reasons. First, he seemed to ignore the proverbial saying that you should “speak softly and carry a large stick.” In other words, quietly ensure that those responsible for law and order are given the tools and freedom to do so without racketing up the volume and heat. Secondly, yes there is a serious issue in terms of anti-immigration and racist sentiment but that itself finds a breeding ground in communities that feel alienated and left behind. After the 1980s riots, there was pause to learn lessons and understand causes. The reality is that we are looking now at those communities that have felt left behind, neglected and betrayed by politicians of all persuasions and both Conservative and Labour Governments for decades. Perhaps they are not so much betrayed as never truly considered and cared about. You can’t leave someone behind if they never started in the same place as you. In that context, immigrants and asylum seekers become treated as scapegoats when they too are equally disadvantaged.
Thirdly, I think it’s important to draw a distinction between fascism and racism. The former is a distinct political philosophy that goes well beyond xenophobia. Language about the far-right, Nazi’s and fascists organising and influencing things gives a wicked movement far more credence than its worthy of. This may become a self-fulfilling prophecy if people begin to see the far right as having more power, influence and prophecy than it does. The risk is that this will build up the image of those who seek to break down and destroy. We don’t want to see people turning to far/alt-right parties at the ballot box as well. I suspect too, that the popularity of Reform UK as an insurgent/disruptive voice and seen increasingly as the acceptable conduit for protest about immigration will grow for a time on the back of this.
Similarly, fourthly, I don’t think that it has been helpful for politicians or prosecutors to suggest that anti-terrorism measures might be used against rioters or manipulators. Terrorism is a very specific crime. If we begin to call people terrorists, not because of the actual crimes they commit but because we don’t like the ideology that motivates them, we set a worrying precedent. It is only a short step from prosecuting people for terrorism when they have committed other crimes to prosecuting people for terrorism when they’ve committed no crime, for example for organising a peaceful protest that is out of line with our society’s values.
I’ve titled this article “Talking up the threat”, we see this when people seek to make out asylum seekers and immigrants to be an enemy when they are not. We see it too when politicians and media talk up the influence and power of a genuine threat. It may seem like a clever short term tactic but I believe it to be ultimately highly dangerous.
Christians too can fall into this trap, both by getting sucked into culture wars and also in terms of how we see our enemy, The Devil. We can make the mistake of paying no attention to the danger at all, forgetting that Satan is a real enemy with some power but we can also give him too much power. He is finite and defeated. We do well to remember that..
Faithroots 