Immigration advice centres and lawyers’ offices are battening down the hatches amid fears far-right rioters will target 39 locations across the country in a fresh round of action.
Sir Keir Starmer’s “standing army” of almost 6,000 specialist riot officers is braced for further unrest after a list shared online singled out immigration lawyers, charities and support services for mass action on Wednesday evening.
One immigration advice centre is boarding up its windows amid fears of clashes as the Law Society, representing solicitors in England and Wales, said it has “serious concerns” about the safety of its members.
They called for the prime minister to treat threats against the legal profession with the “utmost seriousness” as one immigration lawyer revealed he had received a death threat in the wake of nationwide far-right riots which erupted in the wake of the killing of three children in Southport.
At least 19 counter protests are planned to defend immigrations services being targeted on the list, which was widely shared in far-right groups on Telegram.
Anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate described the roll of targets, circulated by an anonymous organiser also linked to violent protests in Southport and Liverpool, as a “hit list” and urged everyone named to be on high alert.
Although police leaders hope they are through the worst of the disorder they are understood to have boosted riot officer numbers to almost 6,000 ready to be mobilised across the country.
It comes as MPs were urged to consider working from home instead of their constituency offices in the wake of the unrest, with those whose offices are “prominent and easily identifiable” advised to look at their security protocols.
One director in Sheffield told The Independent that he was planning to board up the windows of his immigration advice centre after the site was included on the list.
Staff have been advised to stay at home and the sign has been taken down from the building.
He said: “Whoever put together this list doesn’t know much at all. Our typical client is a doctor, a computer programmer, a dentist, a nurse. They are people who fill in the much-needed gaps in our workforce.
“We’re not dealing with asylum claims or people who’ve come here on small boats. If companies need help employing someone then they come to us to help them sort the skilled worker visa.”
Although the staff won’t be in the building, the director added he was worried about the potential for serious violence at the site this week after rioters tried to set fire to hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham at the weekend.
He said: “I’m worried about the outside of the building. If it’s anything like the Rotherham hotel then this is serious stuff. It looks like these people are taking this destruction seriously.”
A Nottingham family has been forced to speak out after the protest organisers included the address of their 88-year-old grandmother on their target list because a family member – who works as a freelance immigration advisor – uses her house as his registered business address.
A family member wrote on X: “My Nana is 88 years old, she suffered a collapsed lung earlier this year and has lost a lot of her mobility.
“I have no words to describe how it feels every day watching the hate unfold back home, let alone worrying about the safety of my family.”
Nottinghamshire Police called for would-be protesters not to attend the location, adding: “Officers have visited the address and it is home to an elderly person with vulnerabilities.
“It has no links whatsoever to any immigration business.”
A refugee charity in Oxford is closing the office early and staff are working with police ahead of a planned protest and counter protest on Wednesday, but they are determined to carrying on supporting refugees as normal from Thursday.
The charity’s director said the wider “mood and atmosphere” following other protests targeting asylum seeker accommodation is already impacting users who are fearful of the backlash spreading.
“Of course when you are seeing a hotel that looks exactly like yours on a business park exactly like yours and windows are being smashed and intruders are breaking in – you obviously feel pretty alarmed,” he told The Independent.
Another refugee support centre in Birmingham said they had contacted the police about reported threats and protests planned outside their office.
“Our managers are doing their best to keep everyone safe and we are planning to close the office early tomorrow,” an employee said.
The office manager at immigration advice centre in Derby told The Independent that police officers visited the offices on Tuesday morning.
He said: “We are aware of the protest and we are going to close the business tomorrow and work from home. The police told us they would be in the area tomorrow patrolling but they don’t know whether something would happen or not.”
Joe Mulhall, director of research at Hope Not Hate, said: “Understandably, the wide circulation of this list has caused a great deal of distress, unease and fear. Indeed, this list has been compiled precisely to spread these emotions within Muslim and immigrant communities.
“Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict exactly which, if any, of these locations will be targeted by far-right rioters or come under physical attack. Any and all services should be on high alert.”
Qays Sediqi, a human rights lawyer based in London, is not the on the list of targets but revealed he received a death threat in the wake of the far-riot clashes.
Recalling the menacing phone call at around 5pm on Monday, he told The Independent: “The call itself was very brief.
“He just said I’m what’s wrong with this country and that they’re coming to get me. ‘We will kill you son’, that’s what he said. Then they just hung up. I was still processing what was happening and then the next thing they hung up.
“I’ve decided not to go into the office at all this week for my safety.
“Most of our clients are vulnerable asylum seekers and it’s much better to be able to meet and speak to them in person in the office, but will have to try and make it work remotely this week.”
Law Society of England and Wales president Nick Emmerson said they are supporting members who have been targeted.
“We have serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of our members following names and addresses of a number of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for further protest and violence this week,” he said.
“I have written to the Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Home Secretary today asking that the threats against the legal profession are treated with the utmost seriousness. A direct assault on our legal profession is a direct assault on our democratic values and we are supporting our members who are being targeted.
“It is paramount that justice is done for all those who have been involved in, or are victims of, the riots.”
He also called for the struggling criminal justice system to receive the necessary support and resources to deal with this emergency.
Weyman Bennett, the joint national co-convenor for Stand Up to Racism, has called for people to stand against far-right groups at counter protests organised at many of the immigration services being targeted.
Describing these events as “unity demonstrations”, he told The Independent: “If we do not stop this violent minority thinking they’re running things then they are not going to stop.”
