Sheffield protests as it happened: 11 photos as counter-protest drowns out anti-immigrant rally in city centre

At 1pm, the arranged start time for the anti-immigration event planned for today (Wednesday, August 7, 2024), roughly 25 people were in position on the steps of Sheffield City Hall, with a small number more arriving as the rally got started.

Positioned across the square was a counter-protest group, which estimates would suggest was roughly 100 people. Many more people, who stood away from both the anti-immigration crowd and the counter-protests, populated the edges of Barker’s Pool, watching.

In the morning, there was a nervousness in the city centre air. Many popular businesses had closed as a precaution for the small possibility this event could turn violent - concerns that arose from the horrendous scenes of violence shown at a far-right riot in Rotherham on Sunday.

Yet, South Yorkshire Police’s officers at the scene had a relatively straightforward time. One man was escorted away shortly after 1pm. He returned a brief time later, before being escorted away again, and was subsequently arrested after he began to struggle with officers.

From then on, most of the proceedings were chanting from the much larger counter-protest. One lady, who stood on the steps behind the loudest of the anti-immigrant crowd holding a placard denouncing their cause, was escorted by police over to the counter-protest group after those stood in front of her noticed her sign.

However, after the 1pm start, the majority of the anti-immigration protest had dispersed before 3pm.

A significant number of South Yorkshire Police officers remain in the city centre and will do throughout the rest of the day.

Far-right riots have rocked the UK over the last week after three young girls were murdered in Southport. The riots sprouted from social media disinformation which suggested the suspect was a Muslim and an illegal immigrant, a claim which has been denounced and shown to be false.

Despite this, in Rotherham on Sunday, August 4, 2024, far-right thugs attempted to burn down the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Manvers.

They were, thankfully, unsuccessful, but the 200+ asylum seekers who were staying in the hotel have since been moved for their own safety.

Multiple men have been arrested and charged in connection to the riot. Most have been remanded to custody after appearing in Sheffield Magistrates Court on Monday and Tuesday this week.