Restored sense of hope and safety after horrific events of last week

Many members of the local community have “restored a sense of hope and safety” after Wednesday night’s (August 7) massive anti-racism demonstration in Bristol. It follows a week in which far-right mob-perpetrated violent disturbance scenes have dominated the news narrative. After two planned protests in Bristol’s downtown became violent and far-right gangs targeted a guesthouse that housed migrant families, Bristol became one of the epicenter cities on Saturday, August 3.

Fear surged throughout Bristol neighborhoods when it was revealed that the city might once more be the target of an Old Market law company that specializes in immigration disputes. Many companies were so alarmed that they had to close early. Old Market stores were boarded up, and community organizations, GP offices, and nurseries all had to close early or cancel appointments.As thousands of people from all over Bristol assembled for a counter-protest at Old Market, the local community ultimately came out in force to defend their city and neighborhoods from the danger of attack, which never came to pass. Additionally, the overwhelming number of supporters has given many members of the community fresh hope.

“Even during the counter protest, I had people come up to me who I personally know very well and they said they couldn’t believe the amount of people who came out in support,” said Leigh McKenna, a youth worker who grew up in Easton.”I saw restraint among individuals who probably in a different situation would have had negative things to say to each other, but they had more important things to stand for.” These Easton residents didn’t typically attend protests, and for some of them, their biggest concern was the number of police present and the potential impact that could have on them. However, they came out in force, and they were surprised to see how the larger Bristol community outnumbered us, which really made us feel held in that space. I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that we should anticipate communal cohesion from it, but it’s a beginning to see people accepting one another’s presence.

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