SINGAPORE: As riots fuelled by anti-immigrant sentiment unfold throughout the UK, Singaporean Shereen Williams has been particularly on edge over the previous week – extra so on condition that she is Muslim.
“When you find yourself a visual minority residing in a rustic the place some folks on the market don’t have any qualms in spitting on you or hitting you … I dwell my life on excessive alert,” mentioned the 42-year-old who lives in Wales.
Even easy acts like going out for lunch or strolling on a sidewalk have made her “a bit extra nervous”, she added.
“It simply takes one one that behaves in that technique to put your life in danger,” mentioned Mrs Williams, who’s chief govt of the Democracy and Boundary Fee Cymru, an unbiased public physique in Wales.
She is amongst hundreds of Singaporeans residing within the UK, some who shared their issues with CNA concerning the escalating tensions there.
The unrest erupted on Jul 30, a day after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a dance class within the city of Southport close to Liverpool.
Protesters had been fuelled by anger and false rumours on-line that the suspected attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker. The suspect was later recognized as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales. His dad and mom had moved to Britain from Rwanda, which has only a few Muslims.
That has not stopped mosques from being focused by rioters.
The unrest unfold to a number of cities and cities over the weekend. Skirmishes broke out at far-right rallies in locations comparable to Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool and Hull, in addition to Belfast in Northern Eire.
The Singapore Excessive Fee in London mentioned on Aug 4 that it’s monitoring the state of affairs within the UK.
“Singaporeans residing in or travelling to the UK are urged to remain vigilant and keep away from the affected areas the place attainable,” the excessive fee mentioned on X.
