The riots which affected England in July 2024, following the murder of two little girls, showed the fragilities of a country also affected by migratory tensions. But the unease goes well beyond these riots and reveals the multiple faults of the Kingdom. Interview with Jeremy Stubbs.
Doctor of Philosophy, Jeremy Stubbs is deputy editorial director of Talker.
Comments collected by Paulin de Rosny.
The Southport stabbing and the riots that followed took on considerable proportions, particularly on social media. In your opinion, are these reactions due to an organized movement which distorts information on the networks?
This is a complex question, and I would say there are several levels of explanation. The official narrative indeed speaks of “bad guys” who voluntarily spread fake news to sow panic, or even Russian pirates who would add their two cents. These rumors are often presented as the work of malicious groups, which leads to incidents of violence in the streets, generally committed by small extremist groups such as skinheads.
But the reality is more nuanced. Social networks are not simply tools where isolated actors create stories to manipulate crowds. Today, nothing happens without the “internet dimension”. If rumors circulate, it is because they find fertile ground, eager to circulate them. There is real popular anger, a deep distrust of the authorities. These rumors are not only the result of malicious manipulation, they respond to an expectation of the public, which is already suspicious and frustrated. This distrust developed well before the riots. As soon as Prime Minister Kirsten went to Southport after the attack, he was greeted with angry shouts.
Additionally, the media helps shape these events by constructing narratives that often limit the ideological scope of the incidents. When an event such as the assassination of an MP or a terrorist attack occurs, we try to minimize or divert attention from the jihadist dimension, or we seek to justify the actions by mental disorders or online hatred . People are not completely fooled and therefore experience great frustration. They feel that these explanations are not complete, or that they are worded in a biased way in order to ease tensions before they explode. This further reinforces distrust of the authorities.
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So you’re talking about latent anger in society, exacerbated by social and ethnic tensions. How do you perceive the role of the police in this context?
The role of the police is central in managing these tensions, but it is also very delicate. We can make a comparison with the French police. During riots, they try to maintain order impartially: if you are armed in any way and you are in the street, you are a public danger. We can debate the methods of the police and the proportionality of the violence they deploy, but not their impartiality. Whether it is the racialized riots of 2023, the sometimes turbulent demonstrations against pension reform or the excesses of the Yellow Vest movement, the police demonstrate a certain consistency.
However, in the United Kingdom, the situation is more complex. The police are more decentralized than in France and enjoy a certain autonomy from the government and the Ministry of the Interior. Not all regions approach issues of maintaining public order in exactly the same way. Then, the police are the target of criticism from both the left and the right. The left accuses him, in a now traditional way, of sexism and systemic racism. The right accuses him of going too far in trying to restore his image. Thus, the police would give in to wokism by going to the homes of citizens suspected of “transphobic” posts on social networks or by painting some of their vehicles in rainbow colors. Even more serious, he is accused of practicing double standards (“two-tier policing”) in maintaining order. During confinement, demonstrations Black Lives Matter were tolerated with a certain leniency, while those against the restrictions of confinement were repressed. Police were merciless towards rioters in August, while during a violent Roma protest in a Leeds suburb on July 18, they were more cautious.
Speaking of tensions, you mentioned ethnic issues. In your opinion, are these recent riots a social revolt or rather an ethnic one?
It’s a mix of both. It is clear that there are underlying ethnic tensions, and this is not new. British history has seen tensions between different communities, notably between Muslims and Hindus, where conflicts originating from the Indian subcontinent are imported to the United Kingdom. There are also tensions between the black community and the Asian community (Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi), exacerbated by economic differences and incidents of violence. Asians are often better economically integrated, with successful family businesses, which can create friction with black communities that suffer more poverty. Finally, there are tensions in disadvantaged cities between the white population, who consider themselves left behind, and migrants often housed in hotels in the neighborhoods in question.
However, it would be too simplistic to reduce the recent riots to ethnic conflict. In large part, these riots are a reflection of broader social anger, particularly among the white working class. The latter sees that immigration continues as newcomers find work while native citizens are unemployed. This creates deep resentment. Immigration plays a role in these tensions, not necessarily because immigrants are their neighbors, but because the working classes know that elsewhere, immigrants find jobs while they struggle to obtain them.
Brexit was expected to resolve some of these frustrations by limiting immigration, particularly from the European Union, and favoring highly skilled workers. But the reality was quite different. The UK has seen an increase in non-EU immigration, with often low-skilled workers coming to take up roles in the medical or personal services sector. This did not resolve the underlying problems, and even contributed to aggravating the feeling of abandonment felt by part of the population.
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The riots would therefore be a symptom of a deep social malaise, exacerbated by ethnic tensions and the inability of the authorities to respond effectively. In your opinion, what is the future of these tensions?
These riots are symptoms of growing anger against economic inequality, the failure of integration and the feeling of injustice that persists. Until these problems are addressed systematically, it is likely that outbreaks of violence of this type will continue. The role of the police and the authorities is crucial, but for the moment their responses remain superficial. Tensions will only build until the next crisis.
