Relief as feared violent protests in Wigan fail to materialise

The town was one of more than 20 singled out by far right extremists for a “demonstration” on Wednesday evening with the Support for Wigan Arrivals Project (SWAP) hub on Penson Street named as the focal point.

But while a few protesters did attend, they seemed only to be scoping the area to see if there were enough of them to make it worthwhile, and did so by hanging around in small groups without ever coming together.

Another small group of counter-demonstrators was also there sporting placards, one of which read: “Wigan against Muppets” and another declaring “Gluten intolerance, racist intolerant.”

There was a significant but not heavy police presence just to remind anyone bent on trouble that they were ready to act.

The biggest impact of the day was undoubtedly on the local economy.

Most hospitality businesses on Wigan Lane had put up the shutters on what would normally have been a relatively busy evening. Wigan Investment Centre shut at 2pm in case criminality came their way; other pubs and takeaways further away from SWAP also decided to close as a precaution. And overseas staff working at Wigan Infirmary were chaperoned to their cars on finishing their shifts.

As 8pm approached the area was heavier than usual with traffic and more than one motorist with the window down drove past to shout racist slogans.

But apart from an annoying bunch of off-road bikers performing wheelies and otherwise loudly getting in the way of other traffic, that was as much of a disturbance there was.

At one point a group of young men, one draped in a union flag, approached the huddle of anti-racism demonstrators and a clash was feared. But, as one of the counter-protesters told Wigan Today afterwards, it was only to say to them “We have your views, you have yours. We’re not having any violence here.”

By 9.30pm most people had drifted away, the conclusion being that the majority of those there in the first place had just been onlookers rather than political activists.

Afterwards Wigan MP Lisa Nandy said: “Despite so many efforts of far right activists and their enablers, I am so proud that our community rejected the violence and hate that was thrown at us and stood shoulder to shoulder tonight.

“The history of our town is of working class people who have driven the far right out of town over and over again for 100 years. Our message tonight is that we will never stop.

“To those few people in our town who enable the hate, please stop. This is my town, where I am raising my family, it is my home and where I love. I know I speak for so many of us when I say that your constant hate and negativity is not who we are.

“In Southport families are grieving. Our police officers ran into danger to help those beautiful little girls. The violence and looting we’ve witnessed and attacks against the police are nothing short of disgraceful. In Wigan we feel that and we send our love and thanks.

“We are, as Wigan Warriors said, a safe and welcoming place. Inclusivity is in our DNA and we will always protect and cherish it.

“Nothing has come easily to our town - we have had to fight for every right we have ever won. That is how we know that no matter how much hate is thrown at us, love will always win.”