2024 has been a year of highs and lows for the UK’s Black and Global Majority (BGM) population. On the one hand, the resolve of our communities has never been stronger. We are seeing more and more engagement in political activism, efforts to influence and shape policy, and community organisation. ROTA’s membership continues to grow, and we are looking forward to working more closely with many of you through our community research initiatives over the next year.
However, much of this activism and organisation has been in response to the many challenges that we have faced over the past year. The racist riots which took place in August have left a lasting effect on our communities. Our key challenge in the next year must be to address some of their root causes.
These include the proliferation of racist and anti-migrant material on social media, with Twitter/X playing a key role in the spread of the disinformation which led to the initial outpouring of violence. Whilst the Online Safety Act does make some provisions, Government must do more to hold social media platforms to account for the content on their sites.
We are also seeing a concerning rise in racism amongst younger and younger groups. Reported incidents of racism in schools against BGM pupils have surged, with nearly 12,000 suspensions for using racist language in school in 2023, according to figures released this year. In August nearly 150 children were also arrested for taking part in the anti-migrant riots. Work is urgently needed to explore how children are being exposed to such hateful political rhetoric, and what can be done to challenge this.
2025 is likely to be an equally challenging year for our communities. With Donald Trump’s second presidential term, we are likely to see the further mainstreaming of anti-migrant rhetoric and racist disinformation on both sides of the Atlantic. The proliferation of these beliefs in the UK is likely to also be seen from our own populist parties, with the concerning news that Elon Musk may be funding the Reform Party, whose parliamentary candidates were seen echoing Trumpian racist conspiracies on the campaign trail this summer, and whose MPs were actively engaged in apologism for the August rioters.
This comes alongside the disproportionate effects of the cost of living crises felt by BGM Britons, with widening inequality, inaccessibility of adequate housing and equitable employment, and continued political hostility towards migrants and refugees from Global Majority countries.
2025 will require more research, more action, more coordination, and more compassion between and across our communities, if we are to address these challenges.