UK charities say toxic immigration rhetoric leading to threats against staff

"Charities have warned of growing racial abuse, intimidation and threats of violence towards their staff and beneficiaries amid increasingly toxic rhetoric around immigration and race by politicians and extremist activists. Voluntary organisations say they are being forced to introduce extensive security measures to protect staff and property a trend described by one charity head as in danger of becoming the new normal after being targeted."

"Refugee and asylum seeker charities, Muslim, Jewish and ethnic minority organisations, women's groups, youth bodies, homelessness charities and even charity shops have reported being subject to violence, threats and abuse. Incidents include threats to rape and kill staff, verbal and physical abuse of beneficiaries on the street, attempted break-ins to charity-owned accommodation, and damage to offices and vandalism, including anti-migrant and racist graffiti."

"Charities were being targeted because of what they stand for and who they support, said Saskia Konynenburg, executive director at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. The threat has become more explicit and targeted since the far-right Southport riots in 2024 and the spread of inflammatory political and social media rhetoric around immigrants and small boats, say charities. They add the abuse has become more extreme and uninhibited in the way it is expressed or enacted, both on and offline."

Charities report a rise in racial abuse, intimidation and threats of violence directed at staff and beneficiaries amid toxic rhetoric around immigration and race. Refugee and asylum seeker charities, Muslim, Jewish and ethnic minority organisations, women's groups, youth bodies, homelessness charities and charity shops have been targeted. Incidents include threats to rape and kill staff, verbal and physical attacks on beneficiaries, attempted break-ins to charity accommodation, office damage and racist graffiti. Organisations are introducing extensive security measures to protect people and property. Charities link the escalation to the far-right Southport riots in 2024 and inflammatory political and social media rhetoric about immigrants and small boats. A coalition of over 150 charities has written to the prime minister urging action.

Read at www.theguardian.com