“There ain't no f***ing demo in Walthamstow. It's just madness, bruv”

How the far right weaponised uncertainty in London

A business on Hoe Street in Walthamstow is boarded up ahead of potential disorder. Credit: Eleventh Hour Photography

Morning — on Tuesday, amid growing concern that immigration services in London were about to be attacked by the far right, a private WhatsApp conversation with Tommy Robinson was leaked to social media. It was posted by Young Spray, a London-based rapper and podcaster who’s previously had Robinson on for an episode to debate whether he’s "evil or patriotic". The screen recording of the chat showed Spray warning Robinson and his allies to "skip" an alleged demo in east London outside an immigration lawyer's office. Robinson replied by voice note, seemingly washing his hands of it all: "There ain't no fucking demo in Walthamstow. No one's going to go to Walthamstow. It's just madness, bruv."

We'll probably never know if Robinson was telling the truth, or had just been scared off. In the end, a spate of far right attacks in London failed to materialise on Wednesday evening. Instead, thousands gathered for counter-protests, a moment of anti-racist unity that's being seen as a turning point in the disorder that's gripped the UK since the knife attack in Southport. Immigration services in Walthamstow, North Finchley, Harrow and Brentford had all appeared in a list of arson targets shared in far right Telegram channels, but they've so far come out unscathed.

But while London avoided the violent disorder seen elsewhere in the country, uncertainty over the credibility of the threat had real consequences in the city. High streets were shut down and boarded up across the capital. Essential services like GPs and nurseries closed early. People of colour said they worried for their safety. All the while misinformation circulated online that risked fuelling tensions, like false claims gangs had already started rioting.

How the far right weaponised uncertainty in London is below.

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London appears on a far right hit list

The anti-racist rally on Hoe Street in Walthamstow on Wednesday. Credit: Guy Corbishley

For many, any lingering fears that the far right would turn up in Walthamstow vanished at the sight of Hoe Street filled to the brim with counter-protesters. "I'm honestly getting quite emotional," one told the Spy as they took it all in. Alongside the street's boarded up and shuttered businesses, a crowd of at least 5,000 chanted "racist scum, off our streets" and "say it loud, say it clear: refugees are welcome here". Many carried placards given out by Stand Up to Racism, which had partly organised the demo, but some had custom messages: "Cable Street 1936. Hoe Street 2024. We the East End say no to fascism". There was also the sound of buzzing, as drones hovered above to get the now-viral aerial shot. "It's brilliant — I used to live here and I just knew people would turn out," said a man who'd travelled from the other side of the city, from Ealing. There was a brief moment of panic, when people turned to look at a woman who had shrieked and was now pointing at a flat overlooking the street. A man was leaning out the window without a top on. "It's a naked racist!" the woman joked.

Similar counter-protests were underway in North Finchley, Harrow and Brentford, other parts of the capital with immigration services that had appeared on a far right hit list. Another, in Hackney, had been organised last-minute after a local mosque had reportedly been told by police that an immigration support service in Stoke Newington might be at risk. But the reality was the far right hadn't shown up in numbers anywhere in London. There were a few stragglers — a man wrapped in an England flag was spotted in North Finchley, but he stood alone, opposite a crowd of around 1,000.

There were arrests — 15 in total in London, including four for violent disorder and three for possession of an offensive weapon — but Wednesday evening has been welcomed as a display of peace. "In London, we are united against hatred," said Sadiq Khan while visiting Chelsea football club the following morning. "Our city has shown that we reject the disorder, racism and violence we have seen across the country in the last few days." Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley credited both his officers but also counter-protesters for the lack of violence: "The show of force from the police and frankly the show of unity from communities together defeated the challenges that we’ve seen". But of course, hindsight is 20/20. In the days prior, neither the authorities nor many Londoners were willing to rule disorder out.