Hannah Rich’s report on the response of local churches to the riots across the UK in the summer of 2024. 02/12/2024

Report in 60 seconds

In Summer 2024, the most extensive outbreak of riots across England in over a decade took place, driven by anti– immigrant sentiment, civil unrest and online misinformation in the wake of the murder of three girls in Southport.

The local church played an important role in the response to the riots, both immediately and over the longer term in rebuilding communities. This report explores how local churches in places where riots occurred were well–placed to respond by: (a) leveraging their strong community networks in order to work with other faith and activism groups; (b) maintaining a trusted presence in the community even when the riots threatened the buildings; (c) holding institutional relationships with local police and being conduits for information; and (d) using their convening power to draw the community together for vigils and moments of much–needed reflection.

There are lessons to learn from these experiences, about the causes of the riots, the emergency response and what preventative measures might be developed going forward. There is a willingness from local churches to engage in the deep listening required to heal communities fractured by the riots, addressing the sense of disenfranchisement and material challenges, as well as correcting misinformation. We offer recommendations to national and local policymakers as well as to churches in how all might work together to improve cohesion and rebuild communities.

Read the full report here.

About the author

Hannah joined Theos in November 2017. She is a mixed–methods researcher and author of several Theos reports including Growing Good (2020) and Beyond Left and Right (2021) and A Torn Safety Net (2022). Previously, she worked for a social innovation think tank, a learning disability charity and as a care worker. Hannah studied French and Spanish at Durham University, including a year abroad working with faith–based organisations in Paris and Madrid. She also holds an MSc in Inequalities and Social Science from LSE.

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