Following recent protests on the streets of Lancaster and Morecambe, council leaders say the community will “always stand firmly against all forms of hatred”.

Councillor Phillip Black, Leader of Lancaster City Council, and Mark Davies, Chief Executive, today released a joint statement in the wake of recent unrest in Lancaster and Morecambe.

The past two weekends have seen a series of protests by demonstrators against illegal immigration and counter-demonstrators against racism and anti-fascism.

Following the deaths of three young girls who were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport on July 20, demonstrations took place in the streets of Lancaster and Morecambe.

Numerous arrests were also made in other parts of the country after unrest and violence erupted following a wave of online misinformation about the Southport attacker.

However, there were hardly any problems in Lancaster County; the protests were largely peaceful despite a heavy police presence.

Pictured below: a police car on Marine Road in Morecambe during a march against illegal immigration along the promenade on Sunday afternoon.

“The recent protests across the country have been deeply disturbing,” said the statement from Councillor Black and Mr Davies.

“While there have been no arrests or serious harm on the ground, we are aware that some people in our communities are feeling anxious and vulnerable.

“Lancaster County has a long and proud tradition of welcoming people from all over the world and now more than ever is the time to celebrate diversity and showcase how it has benefited our community.

“Together we have created a strong and vibrant community where people from all walks of life live peacefully side by side and embrace each other’s cultures.

“As a community, we will always stand firmly against all forms of hatred and we have seen time and again that local people strongly condemn those who sow discord and seek to destroy the good relationships we maintain in the community.

“Of course, this would not be possible without the support of our colleagues in other authorities, especially the police.

“Last week we welcomed Lancashire Police Chief Sacha Hatchett to Lancaster for a tour of the city and thanked the police for the way they handled recent events with professionalism and commitment.

Sacha Hatchett is pictured below with Councillor Black, Mr Davies and Councillor Caroline Jackson, Deputy Leader of the City Council, in Dalton Square, Lancaster last week.

“The message to our communities is that they can rely on the police to be ready to deal with any future unrest should it occur.”

“The Council has consistently enjoyed cross-party support in its efforts to bring people of different faiths and backgrounds together to listen, respond and work together to build the resilience of our communities.

“We are determined to continue to work together and share experiences and knowledge to resist hate messages and instead promote everything that makes life in Lancaster County so special.”