'Hunted' and 'scared': North East refugees speak out on legacy of far-right riots

Far-right riots that took place over the summer have left families seeking sanctuary in the North East feeling “hunted” and “scared”, according to a refugee support charity.

The Action Foundation has warned that the anti-immigration protests which brought chaos onto streets across the country in August have had a lasting negative effect on refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants.

People who spoke to the Newcastle-based charity for a new report published on Monday (11 November) described being “scared, lonely, sad and angry” upon witnessing the riots, which hit Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Hartlepool.

Bridget Stratford MBE, manager of the organisation’s Young Lives project, reported how one child had been physically assaulted because of their background and that several children recounted being subjected to racist abuse or being told to “go back home”.

One family had their windows smashed, while another presented CCTV footage of neighbours’ anti-social behaviour towards them.

Ms Stratford added: “Even months after the events, they could vividly articulate how they had been emotionally affected and how this led to heightened anxiety as they returned to school in September.”

Malali, an asylum seeker who fled Afghanistan with her husband and two children in December 2023, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she was unable to take her children to play in their local park because of the fear of being targeted for wearing a hijab.

The 33-year-old, who moved to Tyneside in July and had been here just weeks before the riots happened, described having to wear a hat or hoodie to cover her head rather than her hijab when going shopping or taking her six-year-old son to the dentist.

She added that the experience of buying enough items to support her family if they were stuck inside their home for an extended period in advance of the feared disorder in Newcastle on 10 August was reminiscent of the dangers in her home country, where she worked educating girls.

Malali, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said: “The children were asking why and I didn’t want to explain to them.

"Even in Afghanistan when there was an explosion and my daughter would ask what it was, I would say it was a car tyre bursting. I didn’t want to let them know that this was their life.

“To know that even here this can happen and we can have that feeling of not going outside or being free to walk in the street… it was scary.

“Fortunately it stopped and now I feel completely free wherever I go. I have that feeling of peace inside me now.”

The demonstration that day in Newcastle did not result in the kind of violence and disruption seen elsewhere in the days prior, as hundreds of counter protesters gathered to show solidarity with the region’s refugee community.

There had also been an inspiring display of unity and pride earlier that week, when thousands of people turned out to defend a building in the West End of the city which houses an immigration advice service and was rumoured to be the target of the far-right.

Malali said that the painful echoes of the riots were now a “drop in the ocean” compared to support and welcome they have felt since arriving on Tyneside and that they “won’t stain our memories of the North East”.

Of the 38 refugees and asylum seekers surveyed by the Action Foundation, which provides help with housing, English lessons, and other support for migrants in Tyne and Wear, 58% said they felt personally affected by the riots and 32% reported feeling scared.

More than half felt unsafe and adjusted their day-to-day activities, choosing to stay at home, more in with family or friends, avoid certain areas, and postpone appointments.

One female with refugee status said: “I didn’t go out for two weeks. I went out one day with my baby, a teenager screamed at me: ‘Go back to your country!’”

Another wrote: “My wife was crying and wanted to go back to Iran. Scared of being attacked.”

Some asked about the lasting impact of the distressing events described having trouble sleeping and feeling as if they were “hunted” or “living in a hidden war”, though others were also left heartened by the North East’s shows of support for migrant communities.

Action Foundation CEO Duncan McAuley added: “The deep impact of the riots on those who contributed to this report and the scale of support shown for migrants following the civil unrest exposes the need for a genuine, meaningful and constructive conversation about immigration.

"The violence and racist attacks last summer should be a call to dialogue and change across our communities in the North East.”

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