Newcastle’s show of unity should make rioters think again if they are planning to target the North East this weekend, the region’s mayor says.
Proud Geordies in the West End of the city have been hailed for a remarkable display of solidarity on Wednesday night when more than 3,000 people gathered on Westgate Road in a stand against the violence and riots of the past week.
A potential far-right protest targeting The Beacon failed to materialise, as peaceful anti-racism protests took the headlines around the country, but police here remain braced for an expected demonstration in Newcastle city centre on Saturday.(Image: North News)
North East mayor Kim McGuinness told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she hoped that Wednesday’s events, which had followed a day of worry about potential disorder, would give residents and businesses more confidence that they are safe – and encourage any trouble-makers to stay away.
She said: “I hope that people considering engaging in this horrible, violent behaviour in our streets will see what happened last night and think ‘no, I’m not going to do it’.
"I hope they have seen the strong policing and criminal justice response we have had in the past week and they will take a step back and reconsider whatever it was which made them think it was a good idea in the first place.
“I hope the far right stays well away on Saturday. But if they do come, I have been in constant contact with police forces and the government and I am reassured that there will be a really good policing operation there to keep people safe – and to keep Newcastle and our wider region well and truly open.”
There have been violent incidents on the streets of Sunderland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and elsewhere in the country since the Southport attack last week, in which three young girls were fatally stabbed.(Image: North News)
Ms McGuinness added: “These rioters, these criminals who have organised online at a national level to disrupt our region, want to see people frightened. They have targeted people because of the colour of their skin, targeted people because they are Muslims.
“I spoke to a taxi driver who was frightened to go to work and had not had any income all weekend because he was frightened he would get attacked. A woman in Sunderland who is a Muslim solicitor and wears a hijab was terrified to get the Metro to work.
“We can’t have that and I do hope that this show of solidarity gives people confidence, alongside the robust and visible policing presence and the community reassurance that has taken place this week.
“I was heartened to get a message from one Muslim woman who has lived here for 20 years and said that, ironically, last night she felt more welcome than ever before.”
Newcastle United has confirmed that its men’s and women’s pre-season fixtures at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon are currently expected to proceed.(Image: North News)
The club said it was “continuing to work closely with its independent Safety Advisory Group and key stakeholders, including Northumbria Police and local authorities, ensuring we are fully prepared to welcome fans into the stadium”.
A performance of Come From Away at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal on Wednesday was called off, while some shops and pubs shut early amid worries about unrest.
The theatre said on Thursday that all remaining performances are currently due to go ahead as scheduled.
It said in a statement posted on social media: “We are sorry that last night’s performance of Come From Away was cancelled at short notice. We didn’t make this decision easily but the safety of our audiences, staff and visiting company is paramount.
“Come From Away is a show about coming together as a community and spreading kindness, so we were heartened to see that sentiment being shared across communities in Newcastle last night. Currently, all remaining performances of Come From Away will go ahead as planned. We look forward to welcoming audiences today.”
However, some city centre takeaways have been boarded up in anticipation of potential unrest at the weekend.
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Susan Dungworth, the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, said that the region “may not be out of the woods yet”, but expressed hope that Wednesday’s peaceful rally was a “powerful step towards putting scenes of unacceptable violence and harmful division behind us”.
Newcastle Central and West MP Chi Onwurah told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Last night the people of Newcastle came together to send a message of hope and show what we stand for – looking out for each other, standing up to bullies, united against bigotry.
"I hope the tiny minority who want to spread violence and disorder understand that message and what it means -that they will not succeed here.”
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