The manager of a Newcastle business hub targeted during last summer’s riots says its community has become more united, 12 months on from a remarkable show of Geordie solidarity.
A year ago today (7 August), thousands of people in Newcastle’s West End took to the streets in a stand against the scenes of horrifying violence that erupted around the country in the wake of the murder of three young girls at a dance class in Southport.
The community came out to protect The Beacon, a business centre on Westgate Road that houses an immigration advice service, after it was named among a list of targets for far right protesters.
Just days after the shocking destruction in Sunderland city centre, in which cars and buildings were torched and police officers attacked, there had been fears of similar disorder on Tyneside.
Instead, around 3,000 locals bearing messages like “Geordies are of all colours” surrounded the conference and community centre to defend it from any potential rioters.
Beacon centre manager Marie Watson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) this week that, at a time of bitter division around the nation, the events of last summer “actually brought our community together.”
She added: “That has continued since, there is a great community feeling here. There has always been quite a close-knit community here, but I feel like now there is an even more supportive community feeling which was prompted by that night.”
While many businesses under similar threat closed their doors, Marie recalled that people around Westgate Road did not want to be seen as “giving in” to the fear that spread during the riots.
She said: “There was a determination to come together and show there was a different way (to respond to riots). We should be proud of it.
“Of course you have to keep people safe, but I just don’t feel you should give in to a small minority of people who have that kind of (violent) attitude.
“People are entitled to their views, but you have to communicate them and behave in reasonable ways.
Image: Google Maps
“I think we did very well that night. It was peaceful, but there was a loving caring attitude among people that went beyond that. It was just lovely. It says a lot about our community and what people from Newcastle are like.”
Elswick ward councillor Habib Rahman said he believed Newcastle had made progress in tackling racial hatred since the death in 1992 of Khoaz Miah, who was kicked to death on his way to a local mosque in an incident that left “deep scars” in the West End community.
But, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that “racism remains a serious threat” and that greater education, safeguarding, and investment into disadvantaged communities is needed to combat inequalities and address the root causes of extremism.
Coun Rahman, whose own father was also killed in a knife attack in Wallsend in 1977, said: “To everyone who stood against hate last summer and do so each time — thank you. You showed what Newcastle is truly about: unity, courage, and solidarity. But our work is not over. Together, we must ensure that never again will a tragedy like that of 1992 and 2024 be repeated in our city.”
12 months on from that heart-warming display of community spirit in Newcastle, anti-migrant protests around the country have been dominating the headlines once more.
A demonstration was held last Saturday against the use of a Newcastle hotel to house asylum seekers, with hundreds of demonstrators and counter-protesters gathering in the city centre.
Similar protests were staged in London and Manchester, while there have also been violent clashes outside a hotel in Essex over recent weeks.
Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour, who has called for the end of hotels being used as asylum seeker accommodation, said that there are “legitimate concerns” around the issue that required “sensible conversations”.
Recalling the events of last summer, she told the LDRS: “A year ago our communities showed Newcastle what our city is all about. A city coming together, standing side-by-side, and showing our pride in being a Newcastle that stands united. The images filled me with pride.
“We are a diverse city and whether your family have lived here for generations, or you have just moved here for the first time, we will welcome you as a Geordie the day you call Newcastle home. That is in our very fabric as a city and, from Roman settlers to Ukrainian refugees, it is a history we should be proud of.
“The disorder across the UK last summer left many residents feeling unsafe for the first time in years. I was grateful that we didn’t experience the same disorder in our city but I know that it did leave lasting concern in the community.
“We continue to work with communities to ensure they feel safe and at home in Newcastle. However, we know legitimate concerns also exist around issues relating to asylum and we cannot simply dismiss those concerns as racist or right wing.
“Newcastle is strongest when we come together, have sensible conversations and we treat people with empathy and respect. It is what being a Geordie is all about and, a year on from scenes on the West Road, it is the perfect time to remind ourselves of that.”
